Rescued or seized? Greece’s long fight with UK over Parthenon Marbles

PBS NewsHour

22 Sept 201808:37

Summary

TLDRThe script discusses the long-standing dispute over the Parthenon Marbles between Greece and the UK, focusing on their historical significance and the debate surrounding their ownership. The British Museum houses half of the marbles, which were removed by Lord Elgin in the early 1800s when the Parthenon was in disrepair. Greece argues for their return, asserting that the removal was illegitimate as the Ottomans were occupiers. The script also touches on the British Museum's stance, which maintains the marbles are legally theirs but is open to loans, and the Acropolis Museum's purpose-built space, designed to reunite the sculptures.

Takeaways

🏛️ The Parthenon Marbles are a significant collection of ancient Greek sculptures that once adorned the Parthenon in Athens.
🇬🇧 The British Museum in London houses half of the remaining sculptures, which were acquired in the early 1800s by Lord Elgin, a British ambassador.
🤝 Lord Elgin made an agreement with the Ottoman authorities, who were in control of Athens at the time, to remove and ship the sculptures to the UK.
🎨 The sculptures are considered masterpieces of the ancient Greek world, depicting mythical creatures, stories of the gods, and everyday people.
🇬🇷 Greece has been demanding the return of the Parthenon Marbles for decades, arguing that the Ottoman deal was invalid as they were occupiers.
🏗️ The Acropolis Museum in Athens was built partly to counter the British Museum's claim that Greece lacked a suitable place to display the sculptures.
🔍 The British Museum maintains that the Parthenon Marbles are legally theirs but is open to the idea of lending them out, similar to other items in their collection.
🗿 The Acropolis Museum displays the original sculptures alongside gaps and plaster copies to represent the missing pieces in the British Museum.
🌐 The debate over the Parthenon Marbles raises questions about the ownership and display of priceless cultural artifacts in museums worldwide.
⏳ Despite the ongoing dispute, there is no clear resolution in sight, with the British Museum holding firm on their position while Greece continues to seek repatriation.

Q & A

What is the main issue discussed in the script regarding the Parthenon Marbles?
-The script discusses the long-standing dispute over the Parthenon Marbles between the United Kingdom and Greece, focusing on whether the British Museum should return the sculptures to Greece, where they originated.
What is the significance of the Parthenon Marbles?
-The Parthenon Marbles are significant as they are considered among the great achievements of the classical world, depicting mythical creatures, stories of the gods, and average people, and were once part of the 5th-century B.C.E. temple on the Acropolis in Greece.
How did the Parthenon Marbles end up in the British Museum?
-The Marbles were taken to England in the early 1800s by Lord Elgin, a British ambassador, who made an agreement with the Ottoman authorities to remove some of the statues and friezes. He later sold the collection to the British Parliament, which then passed it on to the British Museum.
What is the Greek perspective on the removal of the Parthenon Marbles by Lord Elgin?
-Greeks argue that the Ottomans were occupiers and the deal with Lord Elgin was not valid, thus the Marbles rightfully belong in Greece.
Why does Greece want the Parthenon Marbles back?
-Greece wants the Marbles back to reunite a unique piece of art, emphasizing that it is not just about bringing them to Athens, but about putting the art back together in its original context.
How does the British Museum justify its possession of the Parthenon Marbles?
-The British Museum argues that Lord Elgin performed a service in rescuing some of the sculptures and that having half the collection in Britain allows a world audience to view them, providing a global context for comparison with other ancient civilizations.
What is the Acropolis Museum's role in the dispute over the Parthenon Marbles?
-The Acropolis Museum was built in part as a response to the British Museum's claim that Greece did not have a proper place to display the sculptures. It showcases the original Marbles that remain in Greece and has spaces prepared for the eventual return of the Marbles from the British Museum.
What is the British Museum's current position on the Parthenon Marbles?
-The British Museum maintains that the Marbles in its collection are legally theirs but is open to the idea of a loan, as it regularly lends pieces from its collection to museums around the world.
How do visitors to the Acropolis Museum feel about the division of the Parthenon Marbles?
-Visitors interviewed in the script express a desire for the Marbles to be reunited in Greece, indicating that seeing the complete history rather than replicas would be more meaningful.
What is the stance of Greek officials on the return of the Parthenon Marbles?
-Greek officials, including former Minister of Culture Lydia Koniordou, strongly advocate for the return of the Marbles, viewing it as a duty and a symbolic act to restore the emblem of their world.

Outlines

00:00

🏛️ The Parthenon Marbles Dispute

The first paragraph discusses the controversy surrounding the Parthenon Marbles, a set of ancient Greek sculptures currently housed in the British Museum. The marbles, which once adorned the Parthenon in Athens, are at the center of a 200-year-old dispute between the UK and Greece. The British Museum acquired the marbles in the early 1800s through an agreement with Ottoman authorities by Lord Elgin, who removed and shipped them to the UK. The Greek government argues that the removal was illegitimate due to the Ottomans being occupiers and that the marbles are a cultural heritage that should be returned to Greece. The British Museum, however, maintains that the marbles are legally theirs but is open to lending them for display. The paragraph also touches on the construction of the Acropolis Museum in Athens, which was partly a response to the British Museum's claim that Greece lacked a suitable place to display the sculptures.

05:02

🗿 The Call for Reunification of the Parthenon Marbles

The second paragraph delves into the emotional and cultural significance of reunifying the Parthenon Marbles. It features interviews with Greek officials and museum directors who argue for the return of the marbles to Greece, emphasizing the importance of完整性 and the historical context of the sculptures. The director of the Acropolis Museum, Dimitrios Pandermalis, provides a visual contrast by showing how the marbles are displayed in the museum with gaps where the British Museum's pieces would fit. The paragraph also includes perspectives from visitors who express a desire to see the complete collection in its original context. The British Museum's stance is reiterated, stating that while they do not intend to return the marbles, they are open to collaboration and lending the pieces for exhibit purposes. The narrative concludes with a reflection on the ancient Greeks' pursuit of perfection and the current fragmented state of the Parthenon Marbles, suggesting a longing for reunification that resonates with the Greek people.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Museums

Museums are institutions that collect, preserve, and display objects of historical, cultural, or scientific importance. In the context of the video, museums are central to the debate over the ownership and display of priceless cultural works of art. The British Museum's possession of the Parthenon Marbles is a focal point of the discussion, highlighting the ethical dilemmas museums face regarding the display of culturally significant artifacts that were acquired under questionable circumstances.

💡Universities

Universities are centers of higher learning and research. While not explicitly mentioned in the script, universities often house collections of cultural artifacts for educational purposes. They share a similar responsibility with museums in preserving and displaying cultural heritage and may also grapple with the ethical implications of holding items that were not acquired through current ethical standards.

💡Galleries

Galleries are exhibition spaces for the display of art, often focusing on visual arts. In the script, galleries, like museums, are mentioned in the broader context of cultural institutions that might possess artworks with contentious ownership histories. They play a role in the debate over whether to return such pieces to their countries of origin.

💡Priceless

The term 'priceless' refers to something of such great value that it cannot be assigned a monetary worth. In the video, priceless cultural works of art are the subject of debate. The Parthenon Marbles are described as priceless, emphasizing their immense cultural and historical significance, and complicating the issue of their ownership and display.

💡Cultural Works of Art

Cultural works of art are creations that represent the culture, history, and values of a particular society. The video discusses how museums, galleries, and universities should treat such works, especially when they were acquired in ways that would not be considered acceptable today. The Parthenon Marbles are a prime example, as they are part of Greece's cultural heritage and are central to the debate over repatriation.

💡Parthenon Marbles

The Parthenon Marbles are a collection of classical Greek marble sculptures that originally adorned the Parthenon in Athens. They are a significant part of the video's narrative, as they represent a long-standing dispute between Greece and the United Kingdom over the rightful ownership of these historical artifacts.

💡Lord Elgin

Lord Elgin was a British ambassador who, in the early 1800s, made an agreement with Ottoman authorities to remove some of the Parthenon sculptures. His actions are a key point of contention in the video, as they set the stage for the current debate over the legitimacy of the sculptures' removal and their rightful home.

💡Repatriation

Repatriation refers to the process of returning cultural artifacts to their country of origin. The video discusses the possibility of repatriating the Parthenon Marbles to Greece, exploring the complexities and implications of such an action for both the British Museum and Greek cultural institutions.

💡Acropolis Museum

The Acropolis Museum in Athens is mentioned in the script as a modern facility designed to house the Parthenon Marbles and other artifacts from the Acropolis. It represents Greece's effort to provide a suitable home for the sculptures and serves as a focal point in the argument for reuniting the分散的 Parthenon Marbles.

💡Cultural Heritage

Cultural heritage encompasses the tangible and intangible aspects of a culture that are passed down through generations. The video underscores the importance of cultural heritage by discussing the significance of the Parthenon Marbles to Greek identity and the desire to reunite them with their original context within the Acropolis.

💡Ethical Debate

The ethical debate in the video revolves around the moral rights and wrongs of how cultural artifacts are acquired and displayed. It highlights the ongoing controversy surrounding the Parthenon Marbles, questioning whether it is ethical for museums to retain possession of items that were obtained under circumstances that would not be considered acceptable today.

Highlights

Museums, universities, and galleries face ethical questions about priceless cultural works in their collections.

The Parthenon Marbles are a prominent example of cultural dispute between the UK and Greece.

The British Museum houses the Parthenon Marbles, which once adorned the Parthenon in Athens.

The sculptures are significant masterpieces of the ancient Greek world.

The British Museum's acquisition of the Marbles is a sensitive subject with a long history of debate.

Lord Elgin, a British ambassador, removed half of the sculptures from the Parthenon in the early 1800s.

The Ottomans, who controlled Athens at the time, made an agreement with Elgin to remove the sculptures.

The British Museum argues that Lord Elgin performed a service by rescuing the sculptures.

Greece claims the Marbles should be returned as the deal with Elgin was not valid due to Ottoman occupation.

The Acropolis Museum in Athens was built partly to counter the British Museum's claim that Greece lacked a proper display.

The Acropolis Museum displays the remaining sculptures and gaps where the British Museum's pieces would fit.

The British Museum sees the split collection as beneficial for a world audience to compare with other ancient civilizations.

The director of the Acropolis Museum argues for the re-unification of the sculptures.

The Greek government claims the Marbles are unique and will never abandon the claim for their return.

Visitors to the Acropolis Museum express disappointment over the split collection.

The British Museum is open to lending pieces but maintains that the Marbles are legally theirs.

The director of the Acropolis Museum believes the ancient Greeks would be angry at the current state of the Marbles.

The Acropolis Museum's director is hopeful but uncertain about when the Marbles will be reunited.