What can be done if the British Museum continually refuses to return the Parthenon sculptures to Greece?

Question

Additional Details

Perhaps if Odyssey Marine Exploration became interested in searching for the sculptures that were lost at sea on the way to England... and found them, it would highlight the issue and the way in which the sculptures and frieze were taken...

Answer 1

Best Answer - Chosen by Voters

I have answered this question, which is very dear to my heart,
many times before. Below is a similar answer I gave just a few
weeks ago. I feel as strongly now as I did then if not more so.

The UK unfortunately will never let the Parthenon Marbles return to
Greece permanently even though 3 out of 4 British people agree to
their return.
A so called loan to Greece is out of the question as it would then be
legitimising the theft by Thomas Bruce, 7th. Earl of Elgin, even though
possession would be nine tenths of the law and would then be up to the
UK to get them back.

What we need is another Greek Goddess like Melina Mercouri:-
18th. October 1920 - 6th. March 1994
She was the strongest advocate for the return of the Parthenon Marbles
and fought tirelessly for their return.

"I hope to see the Marbles back home before I die,
but if they come later I shall be reborn"

Whatever argument the UK puts forward for this despicable act of sheer
vandalism pales into insignificance as there is now a new home for their
RETURN TO THE PLACE WHERE THEY WERE BORN AND WHERE
THEY HAVE THEIR ROOTS.

edit: My update for Hackman's question,
Elgin was asked by his architect to bring back from Greece
plaster casts of surviving objects, not to remove the actual pieces which
he later, in 1816 sold to the Britsh Government for £35,000
The Parthenon Marbles are without a doubt the cultural property of Greece
and the brutal vandalism committed by Elgin two centuries ago is not reason
enough for the UK to condone such theft at it's highest level and violates laws
such as The National Stolen Property Act.
There is, The Committee for the Reunification of the Parthenon Marbles.
Their 'phone number for anyone wanting to offer support is: 020 7226 6686

@ Diana
Yes I do have the honour of sharing a birthday with Melina Mercouri.
I definately have the passion I just wish I also had her clout.
Onward and Forward!

@ got1bigdog
Andrew Dismore is one Member of Parliament who is very
interested and active in the return of the Parthenon Marbles
and has also visited the new Acropolis Museum

@ Min,
Thank you but you are going just a tad overboard! lol

edit: Odyssey Marine Exploration
"One nation's underwater looters are another nation's
excavators-for-hire"

edit: I have just come across the following outrageous
quote by the art critic Richard Dorment:-
"The Greeks should erect a statue of Lord Elgin near
the Parthenon to express their gratitude to him for saving
the Marbles"

@ Which coward is thumbing all of us down,
Why not answer with your opinion of disagreement?

@ Diana,
It's the British Museum staff AND Lord Elgin come back
to haunt us! I bet he is turning in his grave as we speak!

Answer 2

What can be done? Hmmm......nothing.

Unless there is increased pressure by the international art community.

Answer 3

We need a campaign from within Britain of British voters who love Greece and want to see its heritage restored. Perhaps the new Acropolis Museum will create such feelings among the many British visitors it is bound to attract.

Answer 4

I think if all campaigners were as passionate as
Pandora for their return, it would not be long before
they were back where they belong.

Answer 5

Visit them in the UK. If all antiquities were returned to their origins, the expense, paperwork, etc. would be incredible. It makes me sad, but so does seeing the disrepair many antiquities are in around the world. At least they are kept safe and not in the way of nations that blow up/destroy anything not of their own origin.

Answer 6

Hello Hackman!
Pandora above is your expert on the return of the Parthenon marbles and here is a cut & paste of my comments in a previous discussion on this topic (as you can see it was with Pandora & others from the Greek section!)


Min & Pandora - you know how I feel as a British person about this!

There is only one answer!

The Marbles should be returned immediately -no loans or fancy agreements necessary. The marbles belong in Athens. Period.

Edit @ Pandora
My pleasure -yes, roll on next May....

2 thumbs down - about the marbles- why?

Edit@ Katerina
Yes, you're right, our museums are stuffed full of stuff from other countries - Egyptian mummies, jugs, stuffed cats and lord knows what else. But with something like the marbles, I mean, they are so precious and significant to the Parthenon it is glaringly obvious they shouldn't be in London.

We have a country full of beautiful castles and houses- some are simply breathtaking. We should make more of our own history without stealing others. But at the time the marbles were stolen there was an extremely arrogant attitude in Britain-and some of those stuffed shirts still remain-but that attitude is dying out. I reckon you will get the marbles back within the next 0-5 years-just keep the pressure up.

Update for Hackman's question:
@ Pandora - I recall that you said you shared the same birthday as Mercouri - therefore it must be your destiny to share the same passion and get the marbles back for Greece. Go girl!!!

@Pandora - Jeez - 11 thumbs down for both of us! It must be the British Museum staff out in force! Haha

Answer 7

WHAT CAN BE DONE!

LOTS...........


FIRSTLY ...EVERY ONE SAY ..AYE..TO NOMINATED

PANDORA S THE NEXT GREEK GODESS TO TAKE OVER MELINA MECOURIS JOB.......

AYE AYE AYE AYE AYE YAE AYE AYE AYE AYE AYE AYEA YE the eyes have it..
congratulations pandor au are the new advocate for the greek marbles or as they right full know as the parthenon freeze...

never fear u will alwasy have ourt back boen of support at all times pandora..so as the turk would say

SECTIR..MARAFETT...... all steam ahead......

Source(s):

on the other hand i could steal the crown jewells and hold them for ransom.. or even better steal the whole roayl family...lol BUT I WOULD LEAVE THE CORGIES.....


OHH WAIT..THE CORGIES ARE THE ROAYLS...!!!!

Answer 8

Veto the Brits - no more ouzo for them !

Answer 9

Yes, what you say would be an immense profit not only for the Elgin case but also for retrieveing a lost treasure.

Answer 10

We must be humble and obedient.

Answer 11

I think the English are being tight, is someone stole there World war 2 memorials it would be a different story, they should hand it over, they are very greedy.

Answer 12

Please take into account that Lord Elgin bought & paid for the marbles. They were not stolen.

Answer 13

I have got a bag of marbles they can have if that will help.I don't play anymore since my back went kaput.

Answer 14

The Greeks could pull a stunt like they did in the Italian Job.