The Controversy Of The Elgin Marbles

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 controversy of the elgin marbles.

The marbles have suffered considerable damage while in london. Lord byron and many others attacked elgin s actions in print. In 1801 a british nobleman stripped the parthenon of many of its sculptures and took them to england. 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.

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. A public debate in parliament followed elgin s publication and parliament again exonerated elgin s actions eventually deciding to purchase the marbles for the british nation in 1816 by a vote of 82 30. A select committee of parliament was established to examine the sculpture and the possibility of acquiring it for britain. In the 19th century pollution seriously harmed the sculptures and the british museum s attempts to clean them using sandpaper chisels and acid also caused irreparable damage.

An outcry arose over the affair and elgin was assailed for rapacity vandalism and dishonesty in hauling the grecian treasures to london. In 1810 elgin published a defence of his actions but the subject remained controversial. Controversy over their acquisition by the british museum continues to this day. It is still doubtful whether lord elgin was ever truly granted permission to take the marbles.

A team of lawyers in london had recommended taking legal action for the long disputed collection of artifacts but athens has opted for. The elgin marbles have been controversial for over 200 years with the acropolis museum in athens which houses the remaining sculptures keeping a space empty for them amongst its current. Even before all the sculptures soon known as the elgin marbles went on display in london lord byron attacked elgin in stinging verses. 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.

These actions were controversial from the very beginning.