Support the Return of the Parthenon Marbles

No. The story and reaction of the Elgin marbles and other treasures has to be applied across Europe.   If the marbles are returned, all other treasures should also be.  Being in London, i like them there.  It reveals alot about our past, attitudes to foriegners in that time and is a valuable insight to the history of collecting. 

As for logistics, its a risk, but should be easy enough to transport them.  However thats not the point, its part of Britains heritage, a key part of the museum an appreciated artefact.

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Ah, yes, dreams of empire die hard...maybe France should return to Algeria, then...


Edited by konstantinius - 05-Sep-2006 at 21:15

Originally posted by Gun Powder Ma I prefer professional care for the pieces in the exile at London anytime over amateurish treatment at home in Greece. Countries should not only claim all things back, they should also have the financial and other means to take care of them properly which I doubt somehow in a country which finetuned its statistics to get into the Euro zone.

As Yiannis wrote in the previous page, replying to a post raising similar 'concerns' like yours:
"Greece is at the frontline of archaeological research. The new Acropolis Museums, designed by Bernard Tschumi, which will be ready soon is a state of the art one: http://www.greece.org/parthenon/marbles/museum.htm"

As for the Euro-zone thing, not only this is irrelevant with the discussion, but also you're not very well informed about the subject.

Originally posted by Gun Powder Ma As badly informed as the EU was about Greece's finances? ;-)

If your information made you believe that Greece does not have "the financial and other means to take care of them properly", then you are more badly informed that eurostat.

The University of Heidelberg in Gemany has returned a piece of the Parthenon to the Greek government. It's only 3x5 inches big, but it's a start.

Originally posted by Gun Powder Ma I prefer professional care for the pieces in the exile at London anytime over amateurish treatment at home in Greece. Countries should not only claim all things back, they should also have the financial and other means to take care of them properly which I doubt somehow in a country which finetuned its statistics to get into the Euro zone. Besides, it can be argued that at the time there was even no Greek state.

Financial means to maintain the marbles? Well, we'll get them from the EU,of course! They are a European treasure after all!! By the way, do you know that Greece has the highest per capita number of archaeologists in the EU? Of course a lot of them work abroad but are still included in the statistics,a fact that raised questions about the validity of the information. Some argued that only Greek archaeologists who work in Greece should be counted. Anyway, point is, there's a lot of technical staff to take care of marbles.

Last time I checked, portions of  the Great Wall of China are disintegrating and there are preservation questions as to the policies of the Chinese goverment. This does not raise demands to remove the Wall abroad where it could be looked after better, does it?


Edited by konstantinius - 21-Oct-2006 at 22:07

OK then, let us slip a couple passed your goalie in the 2008 Euro and we'll call it even, eh?

Museums seem like the last vestiges of imperialism. What is wrong with a country holding onto its own treasures of its cultural heritage? so far maintenance, economics, and education have been mentioned, and the only valid one imo is maintanence. Why do the Greeks have to pay the price of education for people visiting a british museum to learn about (ancient) Greece? internet and photography are amazing alternatives to holding onto Greek relics; besides, how many people go to museums to learn? only smart people go, and well, they're already smart. Economics? boo hoo imperialist museums won't continue to make money off their pillaging. If this is a valid reason, i say let the Scandinavians return to their long boats. Maintanence, valid, but as the above shows, the Greeks are well capable of it. National GDP isn't the only factor in maintanence capability. I've heard the Vatican has the best work in restoration (of art).

but if Britain doesn't give them back, how bout doling out pieces of Stonehenge then. LOL that those marbles are part of British heritage. So was slavery and racism and imperialism, but you let go of those. Let go of this too, as the American example shows, it'll boost your PR. Shoot, America (as the US) has virtually no history to boast, just of those whom we displaced, and yet we returned the mummy. Is the British museum skeptical that British culture has enough of its own worth seeing, that it needs to hold on to plunder from others?

a more complex question, along these lines: i heard that marble plundered by the Latins in 1204-5 from Constantinople was used in building in Rome, specifically in the Vatican - should those be returned, and should they be forwarded to a new address (seeing as Constantinople is not ... well you know) or should the Vatican designate a Greek name or use to parts of the buildings using the pillaged marble?

As a Greek , i definately agree on Elgin Marlbles being returned back.But i think that is the least we should be woried about.There are so many archeological treasures all around Greece that we don't give a sh*t about  , victims of time passing by , thousands of others that are not excavated and the ones that are , where propably much better being hiden where they where.

Originally posted by Flipper   A part of this restoration process is to put the marbles back in the "aetoma" (decorative part of the roof).