Piecing together the Acropolis sculptures

‘The Parthenon Marbles: Refuting the Arguments’

- by Dr Tom Flynn

The pressure on Western encyclopedic or ‘universal’ museums to address the repatriation of cultural objects unethically removed from their countries of origin during the age of imperialism is growing ever stronger. The museums, in their efforts to resist, continue to cleave to the argument that return of even one significant object or set of objects would inevitably “open the floodgates” leading to the wholesale denuding of the world’s great museum collections.

This argument is fallacious since it implies that the majority of  museum collections were unethically acquired, which is not the case. It succeeds, however, in deflecting attention away from the dubious circumstances in which certain objects were removed from their rightful homes. Few cases are more significant in this respect than the Parthenon Marbles in London. For this reason they are of pivotal importance for the future of international cultural diplomacy.

In its effort to counter mounting public pressure to return the Parthenon Marbles to Athens, the British Museum has used a range of arguments over the years, all of which can be refuted. This perhaps explains why majority public opinion continues to favour the reunification of the Marbles as the right thing to do. Through its continuing resistance, the British Museum is failing to honour the public trust.

Outlined below are the main arguments used by the British Museum to keep the Marbles in London and the counter-arguments which support the calls for return.

1. 'Lord Elgin “rescued” the Marbles by removing them to safety in Britain'

An argument consistently promoted by the British Museum and supported by Julien Anfruns, Director-General of the International Council of Museums (ICOM). Despite ICOM’s supposed impartiality in matters of delicate cultural diplomacy, Anfruns told the Spanish journal La Nueva España: “Had the transfer never happened, who knows if we would be able to see these pieces today at all.” In fact, the Marbles that Lord Elgin did not “transfer” to Britain and which remained in Athens, survived remarkably well and have benefited from responsible cleaning by Greek conservators using state of the art laser technology. In contrast, the Marbles retained by the British Museum were scrubbed with wire brushes in the 1930s by British Museum staff in a misguided attempt to make them whiter.

2. 'Lord Elgin “legally” acquired the Marbles and Britain subsequently “legally” acquired them from him for the British Museum'

In the absence of unequivocal documentary proof of the actual circumstances under which Lord Elgin removed the Marbles, the legality of Britain’s acquisition of them will always be in doubt. More importantly, the fact that permission to remove them was granted not by the Greeks but by the Ottoman forces occupying Greece at that time undermines the legitimacy of Elgin’s actions and thus by extension Britain’s ownership.

3. 'Lord Elgin’s removal of the Marbles was archaeologically motivated'

Lord Elgin’s expressed intention was always to transport the Marbles to his ancestral seat in Scotland where they would be displayed as trophies in the tradition established by aristocratic collectors returning from the Grand Tour. Nobody with genuine archaeological interest in ancient Greek sculpture would ever have countenanced the disfiguring of such a beautiful and important ancient monument in the way Lord Elgin did. For archaeologists, an object’s original context is paramount. It is telling that Lord Elgin’s son, James Bruce, 8th Earl of Elgin, was responsible for ordering the destruction of the Old Summer Palace in Beijing during the Second Opium War of 1860. Philistine disregard for the world’s cultural monuments seems to run in the family.

4. 'The Greeks are unable to look after the Parthenon Marbles properly'

The New Acropolis Museum in Athens is a world-class museum with first-rate conservation and curatorial expertise. It is the most appropriate place in the world in which to display the Parthenon Marbles. Its proximity to the ancient monument — and the masterful disposition of the New Acropolis Museum’s Parthenon Galleries on the same architectural axis as the Parthenon itself — would return to the Marbles some measure of their architectural significance. While they remain in London, this aspect of their importance is steadily being erased from the cultural memory.

5. 'It is impossible to restore the Parthenon and thus the aspiration towards "reunification’" is a false one'

Restoration of the structural fabric of Parthenon temple continues apace. However, the aspiration has never been to return the frieze, pediment and metopes to the original building but rather to reunify them within the New Acropolis Museum where they can be properly appreciated and understood in the context of the original building, and preserved for posterity. In London they are willfully decontextualised and misleadingly displayed with no relation to Greek artistic or cultural history.

6. 'The Marbles are better off in London where they can be seen in the context of other world cultures'

Research on museum visitors has concluded that the average visitor does not make meaningful connections between the randomly acquired objects held and displayed by encyclopedic museums. Indeed, when given the choice between viewing the Parthenon Marbles within the artificial environment applied to them by British Museum curators and experiencing them in the city of Athens from which they originate, polls consistently demonstrate that the majority of the public would prefer to see them returned to Athens.

7. 'The Marbles belong to “the world”, to all of us, and should therefore be left where “everyone” can enjoy them'

Now that Athens has a world-class, state-of-the-art museum in which to house the Marbles, there is no longer any justification for assuming that London is the best place for the people of the world to enjoy them. Since its opening, the New Acropolis Museum has enjoyed huge visitor numbers. It is therefore reasonable to assume that visitor numbers would increase still further were the Parthenon Marbles to be reunited in the New Acropolis Museum. Moreover, Greece is in dire need of a boost to its cultural tourism, which the return of the Marbles would help it to achieve. Anyone comparing the New Acropolis Museum, bathed as it is in Attic light, with the gloomy Duveen Galleries in the British Museum would reasonably conclude that “enjoyment” of the Marbles would be immeasurably enhanced were they returned to Athens.

8. 'If the British Museum agreed to return the Marbles to Athens, it would set a dangerous precedent that would “open the floodgates”, leading to the denuding of the world’s encyclopedic museums'

For European and North American museums to suggest that they would be denuded is tantamount to admitting that the majority of their collections were dubiously acquired, which is not the case. It is therefore nonsense to suggest that museums would be emptied. Every request for repatriation should be treated on its own merits. The great encyclopedic or ‘universal’ museums in London, Paris, Berlin, New York and elsewhere are all subject to the laws laid down within internationally agreed legal instruments such as the 1970 UNESCO Convention on the safeguarding of cultural property. Refusing to return the Marbles sends the wrong message at a time when a more ethical approach is required over disputed cultural objects.

9. 'The Marbles are too important a part of the British Museum collection to allow them to be given up'

The most important part of the British Museum’s work in the future will be the fostering of creative cultural partnerships with other nations. These can lead to groundbreaking exhibitions such as the Terracotta Army from China and Moctezuma from Mexico. Returning the Parthenon Marbles would open a new chapter in cooperative relations with Greece and enable visitors to the British Museum to see new objects loaned by Greek museums. Refusal to return the Marbles is hampering this process. The Parthenon Marbles display in the Duveen Galleries at the British Museum could be reconfigured using high-quality casts, properly lit. The decision to return the Marbles to Athens would be seen as the British Museum leading the way in enlightened cultural diplomacy, the benefits of which would be diverse, long-term, and far-reaching.

10. 'The Marbles can only be “loaned” to Athens if the Greeks agree to concede Britain’s legal ownership of the sculptures'

Attaching such a precondition to a dispute over cultural property has been widely viewed as insulting and condescending and reminiscent of colonialist approaches to international relations. Seemingly intractable cultural disputes require both parties to adopt a spirit of open-minded generosity and to enter into discussions on equal terms and with no preconditions.

11. “The Elgin Marbles are no longer part of the story of the Parthenon. They are now part of another story.” (Neil MacGregor, Director, British Museum)

It is not the role of museums to rewrite history to further their own nationalistic ends. As their correct name makes clear, the Parthenon Marbles are, and will always be, integral to the story of the Parthenon, one of the finest cultural achievements bequeathed to humankind by the ancient Greeks.

Have we missed anything? Ah, yes, the sun shines more frequently in Athens. Case closed.

—

Dr Tom Flynn can be contacted at @artnose on X (Twitter)

You can read more about the arguments from both sides on the website of the British Committee for the Reunification of the Parthenon Marbles.

How important is the reunification of the Acropolis sculptures in Athens?

An act that will inspire future generations: Reuniting the Acropolis sculptures is a major act of heritage conservation awaiting action

In a nutshell: Why bring these classical sculptures back together

There is no more symbolic act of heritage conservation than reuniting the Acropolis sculptures in Athens. It is a historic opportunity to restore the physical and conceptual dimensions of a unique monument and rebuild a cultural bridge and understanding between London and Athens. It is an opportunity to celebrate a new era of creativity and museum ethics aligned with today’s values of heritage and education. It’s about friendship and making something great happen to broaden our view of humanity and inspire future generations.

A bit of background

In the early 19th century, Thomas Bruce, the 7th Earl of Elgin and British Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire (commonly referred to as Elgin), took sculptures from the Acropolis of Athens by obscure means and shipped them to Britain. The sculptures, also known as the ‘Elgin Marbles’ (but correctly referred to as the Acropolis or Parthenon sculptures, as far as the subset that was removed from the Parthenon is concerned) included a number of artistic and architectural pieces, all of which are part of the surviving ancient buildings on the Acropolis.

Which sculptures were removed from the Acropolis? See the list:

• The History of the Acropolis sculptures

The Greek State has repeatedly requested from the British government and British Museum to return the sculptures to Athens to restore the physical, archaeological and conceptual integrity of the sculptural set as a single masterpiece. However, Britain refuses to return them, arguing that they were taken by Elgin with permission from the Ottoman authorities. While the argument of ownership diminishes itself in comparison to the scientific and ethical reasons behind the request for the reunification, strikingly, the original Ottoman permit invoked in the British argumentation is missing. Since the late 20th century, when Melina Mercouri brought publicity to the long-standing claim for the return of the sculptures to Athens, this dispute has remained pending. This issue continues to affect the cultural bond between London and Athens, creating the exact opposite effect than the message of unity that the sculptures themselves were designed to convey.

• The Meaning of the Parthenon

What can be done today

The argument for their reunification of the Acropolis sculptures in Athens is that such an act would restore the physical integrity and meaning of the sculptures, and allow them to be displayed in the correct geographic, historical, and archaeological context. While the architectural damage caused by Elgin cannot be reversed, today, a new Act of the English Parliament would allow the UK to return the sculptures to complete the set with the existing counterparts in the Acropolis Museum in Athens. As a goodwill gesture, Greece has previously offered to the British Museum an exchange of other artefacts in return for the reunification of the Acropolis sculptures.

The state-of-the-art Acropolis Museum ⧉, located at the foot of the Acropolis in Athens, has been open to the public since 2009 and has the capacity to accommodate all of the Acropolis sculptures together in direct view of the Acropolis. Its Parthenon Gallery ⧉ provides a visual link between the Parthenon sculptures and the Parthenon itself, enabling their display in the correct sequence, layout, orientation and context. The Acropolis Museum is a purpose-built museum with exhibitions in natural light and only a short walk from the Acropolis itself.

In recognition of the issue that a significant number of the Acropolis sculptures is kept in London, many political and cultural figures have campaigned for their return to Athens. Polls have shown that the majority of people supports the reunification of the sculptures. English Parliament MPs have also campaigned for what will satisfy an international claim, highlighting the need to bring the parts of a masterpiece together. The ultimate aim is to restore the meaning of the Acropolis.

• Watch the debate 'Send them back: The Parthenon Marbles should be returned to Athens' ⧉, in which you can hear Stephen Fry arguing in favour of the return of the Parthenon sculptures to Athens

• Watch more Films & Videos about this issue

• Find Articles and Books about this issue

• See documentary images in the Photo chronicle

Although practicalities need to be agreed and arranged between London and Athens before the sculptures are brought to the Acropolis Museum, one thing is certain: an increasing number of people realise that reuniting the parts of the Acropolis is about culture, education, respect, and the meaning of world heritage.

Greek Ministry of Culture

• The Hellenic Ministry of Culture ⧉

• The Acropolis of Athens and the Parthenon ⧉

• The Restitution of the Parthenon Marbles ⧉

• The Restitution of the Parthenon Marbles (another section, in Greek) ⧉

• The Memorandum of the Greek Government for the Restitution of the Parthenon Marbles (with nine key Appendices) ⧉

• The Acropolis Museum ⧉

• The Parthenon Frieze – Introduction, Tour and Stone-by-Stone Description ⧉

• The Acropolis Restoration Project ⧉

• Unification of the Archaeological Sites of Athens (Hellenic Ministry of Culture) ⧉

• Unification of the Archaeological Sites of Athens (Project website) ⧉

• Hellenic Cultural Heritage ⧉

• World Heritage monuments in Greece ⧉

• “The Unity of a Unique Monument” (statement by UNESCO) ⧉

• Declaration of the EU parliament ⧉

Greek organisations, establishments and Initiatives

• Melina Mercouri Foundation ⧉

• The Parthenon Marbles – an Initiative ⧉

• The Parthenon Marbles – The Acropolis Museum ⧉

• Foundation of the Hellenic World ⧉

• The City of Athens ⧉

• The Secretariat General of Communication – Secretariat General of Information ⧉

• Acropolis Friends ⧉

• The Greek National Tourism Organisation: Archaeological sites and Monuments in Greece ⧉

International organisations, initiatives and campaigns

• International Council of Museums (ICOM): Code of Ethics for Museums ⧉

• UNESCO: “[…] the Acropolis […] can be seen as symbolizing the idea of world heritage” ⧉

• AcropolisofAthens.gr

• The British Committee for the Reunification of the Parthenon Marbles ⧉

• The American Committee for the Reunification of the Parthenon Sculptures, Inc. ⧉

• ‘Missing Since 1801’ campaign ⧉

• Australia – for the Restitution of the Parthenon Marbles ⧉

• The 9 Muses News blog ⧉
  I am Greek I want to go home ⧉
  Marbles Reunited ⧉

• Elginism ⧉

• The International Parthenon Marbles Action Committee ⧉

• The International Association for the Reunification of the Parthenon Sculptures ⧉

Other organisations and initiatives

• The Acropolis of Athens virtual tour ⧉

• The Parthenon Sculpture Gallery – digital 3D Parthenon sculpture models ⧉

• The Museum of Reconstructions – digital representation of buildings of the Acropolis of Athens ⧉

• Ancient Athens 3D ⧉
  Parthenon 3D movie highlighting how the sculptures in London are exhibited out of their context ⧉

• Map of the Acropolis of Athens in Socrates and Plato’s time ⧉

• Marbles with an Attitude ⧉

Key publications

• Report from the Select Committee of the House of Commons on the Earl of Elgin's Collection of Sculptured Marbles ⧉

• Turkey denies existence of a firman ⧉