This gets ridiculous, if you think about it. Maybe one could still complain to Russia keeping art stolen from the naxi’s, who stole it in the rest of Europe. That is not so long ago. Some of the original owners might even be alive.

However: it would be nice to have proper copies made of all statues, and if possible they can be put up in their original positions: on the Parthenon itself. Nothing wrong with copies. When you think of it: why not have more copies? Many ancient statues are anyway copies of more ancient originals.

The British museum is a fantastic advertisement for the greek tourism industry. Let those originals just stay where they are.

Tom, if you are sick or experiencing personal dilemmas, all good wishes to you, and fingers crossed for a speedy return to the show. I miss you!

About this show, which I listened to carefully, since I teach classical art, and work as a curator of marble monuments:

I also would have liked to hear more Greek voices on this (and maybe one authorized to represent the British Museum), but clearly, as stated on the show, popular opinion in both Britain and Greece (and elsewhere) is that the originals should go back to their place of origin. Like another listener I thought making replicas–exhibiting replicas of great works was standard practice in America’s first public art museums, as elsewhere–and giving the originals back to Greece is the best solution for all concerned. This situation needs compromise.

I also agree with another listener that while the original right to obtain the items was obtained through bribery or other questionable means–something that apparently was standard practice, so we consider that a non-issue–the way the items were then treated is so reprehensible that I am surprised the British Museum still maintains they acquired the works legally. The Museum just can’t have that much legal leverage, can it?

And let’s face it, nearly 200 years on is a good time to reconsider collections acquisitions made in a different political, artistic, cultural, technological, and military world……

I’ve seen the Elgin Marbles in the British Museum. They are incredibly fascinating and gorgeous, but the display is stale. I’m looking forward to going to the new Acropolis Museum, which sounds absolutely splendid! Hopefully the Parthenon Marbles (aka the Elgin Marbles) will join the collections there someday.

to show you how passionate greeks are about their heritage- during their war for independence, when the greeks were beating the turks in athens and the turks resorted to destroying marble columns to create ammo, the greek resistance fighters gave the turkish fighters ammo to stop them from further destroying the ancient ruins…

2nd- to those that argue it should stay b/c the museum would lose a major attraction sound like children… greece has offered other ancient works to compensate for uniting all the marbles… and who can HONESTLY say that seeing 50% of the remaining frieze on walls in the BM is better than being able to see the ENTIRE remaining work LITERALLY underneath the parthenon while looking up and seeing the actual building through the glass… the experience obtained cannot be beat under any circumstance… so the argument that its better to be enjoyed as 2 separate entities is ludicrous at best and insane at worst…

By the way, typing in all capitals is the equivalent of shouting.
Not cool.

This is ridiculous and long overdue!

I feel there was nothing ‘legal’ about the purchase of the Elgin marbles. Perhaps I’m misunderstanding something, but as I understand it the Earl took a lot of liberties: First taking them down, then shaving them down, then abducting them, and finally selling them to pay off his debts like they were his property. Just because the British Museum bought them doesn’t mean they have the right to keep them. They are ‘hot’ items not put up for sale by the original owner.

I think that if the Greeks have the technology and the facilities to store these works of art, they have every right to ask for them to return home without question.

Kc is correct as well, this will set a precedent for other museums but I’m not sure I find it troubling. I think that if original ‘owners’ of historical property have the means to preserve these treasures, they should be allowed to. I think it’s the museums that have set the troubling pattern of abducting pieces of history and relocating them far from their places of origin without permission. (This is of course not including those items that are lent to a museum ‘far away’ for keeping.) I understand loaning this kind of property for safekeeping and sharing bits of history, but keeping it from the original owners who have the means to store and display is nothing short of unprofessional.

Let the British make good copies of the Elgin Marbles
and give the originals back to Greece. There is fine
technology for making copies of sculpture these days,
even artificial marble.

By the British showing these copies, people visiting
the British Museum could still see the art, while
appreciating the enlightened moral policy that the
British had shown, by giving back the art to the
country that produced it.

While the Greeks would be able to show the originals,
as they should.

Win-Win!

Please consider this suggestion!

Just because you live near something of human cultural value does not give you ownership rights of it.

Keep the Elgin Marbles in Britain.