The elgin marbles are a source of controversy between modern britain and greece.
The controversy between greek and british about the elgin marbles.
Ioannis stefanidis published 27 jun 2018.
The british protected the marbles from being damaged during the greek war of independence between 1821 and 1833 when the parthenon was used as an ottoman munitions store and subsequently attacked.
The british defend their ownership of the marbles based on greece s lack of an adequate museum and the fact that they paid for the pieces mcguigan 2.
Some suggest that lord elgin bribed turkish officials and effectively stole the marbles.
It s a collection of stone pieces rescued removed from the ruins of the ancient greek parthenon in the nineteenth century and now in demand to be sent back from the british museum to greece.
Today much controversy surrounds the ownership elgin marbles both the british and greeks argue that each have legal and moral claim over the parliament s marble adornments.
The greek government has frequently demanded the return of the marbles but the british museum claiming among other reasons that it has saved the marbles from certain damage and deterioration has not acceded and the issue remains controversial.
Brought to britain in the early 1800s by lord elgin the.
The greeks claim england.
Keen to keep the greeks onside the debate became highly charged during the second world war.
David d arcy reports on the ongoing dispute between the greek government and british museum authorities over the fifth century parthenon sculptures or the elgin marbles.
In many ways the marbles are emblematic of the development of modern ideas of national heritage and global display which argues that localized regions have the best claim over items produced there.
By and large the marbles have been better looked after in the specialist duveen gallery than they would have been in highly polluted athens.
The greek government has disputed the british museum trustees legal title to the sculptures.