Elgin Marbles Research Paper

The Elgin Marbles are a collection of Greek marble sculptures, inscriptions and architectural pieces that were originally part of the temple of the Parthenon in Athens. Lord Elgin (British ambassador to the Ottoman Empire) had agents remove about half of the surviving sculptures of the Parthenon. The Elgin Marbles, also referred to as the Parthenon Marbles, were transported to Britain. In Britain, the acquisition of the marbles was supported by some, while others (including the poet, Lord Byron) related Elgin's actions to vandalism or looting. The British public is, in fact, in favor of returning the Marbles to Greece.

I think the Marbles should be returned to Greece. They should be placed in their original home so people can see them in the location of origin. Though some of these artifacts were bought, some were also stolen from the Greeks. Many Englishmen and women argue that possession is nine-tenths of the law, and therefore the Elgin Marbles now belong to England. This, however, is a preposterous idea because Greece initially already had possession of them.

The British Museum says that if the Marbles were to be returned to Greece, they would be improperly cared for and damaged.

In reality though, not only did the British Museum damage these artifacts with their harsh cleaning implements, but also, upon being restored to Greece, the Parthenon Marbles would be kept in a well-equipped museum. The New Acropolis Museum has been recently built specifically to protect the Marbles. It was built to hold the Marbles in natural sunlight that characterizes the Athenian climate, arranged in the same way as they would have been on the Parthenon. This museum lies a mere three hundred meters from the Acropolis, allowing the Parthenon Marbles to be seen basking in the Greek sunlight as

intended.
When Elgin originally stole the Marbles, he thought he was doing it for the good of the preservation of Greece history. In my opinion, he was. If the Marbles had been left in Greece, they would’ve decomposed along with the rest of the Parthenon because of the harsh conditions and lack of care. However, Greece is now perfectly capable of handling its own history. The Greek people regard the carvings as a symbol of their culture, heritage and past. It is an insult to the Greeks to have them kept in a British Museum.
Presenting all the Parthenon Marbles in their original historical and cultural environment would permit their fuller understanding and interpretation. As of today, the Marbles are scattered and not in context. If they were to be returned to their origin, people could better understand and realize the cultural significance of the Elgin Marbles relevant to Greek heritance and culture.
Therefore, the Elgin Marbles should be restored to their rightful place in Greece. The New Acropolis Museum is just as equipped (and possibly more so) as the British Museum. The Marbles should stay together as part of one big masterpiece, rather than apart. Lord Elgin originally stole the Elgin Marbles from Greece and sold them to England. Now it’s England’s turn to re-erect them, to make the choice to restore them to their former glory.