Where do the Elgin Marbles Belong?

When it comes to the topic of the Elgin Marbles (or as many would argue to be their

proper name- the Parthenon Marbles), one controversial issue has been on which country’s land

should they rest. On the one hand, the current holder argues the marbles should stay in the

British Museum where they have resided since 1832 (Josse). Conversely, of course, their

homeland of Greece contends that it has rightful ownership over the marbles and that they should

return in order to be housed in the Acropolis Museum in Athens. Others even maintain that more

than legal ownership, “the most important problem is the restitution of the marbles,” (Tilden).

Before drawing a conclusion, one must understand the history, significance today of, method for

acquisition of, acquisition legality of, and degree of care that can be provided to the Parthenon

Marbles. My own view is the Marbles should be returned to Greece and housed in the museum

that was audaciously constructed with the intent of eventually having the Parthenon Marbles

serve as the main attraction on the top floor of the museum (Poggioli). I hold this view as a

consequence of Ambassador Elgin’s illegal larceny, the British Museum’s past mistakes, and the

importance of origin.

The Elgin Marbles are an ensemble of classical Greek marble statues that were originally

part of the Parthenon which were produced under the supervision of the influential polymath

Pheidias by his assistants. As the Marbles were originally part of the Parthenon, I will hence

refer to them as the Parthenon Marbles. After, “the success of Athens as leader of the coalition of

Greek forces which had defeated the invading Persian armies of Darius and Xerxes,” Pericles, a

major leader in the Grecian alliance of the Delian League, pushed the construction of the

Parthenon (Cartwright). The development of the Parthenon served two purposes: “to replace the

damaged buildings of the acropolis following the Persian attack on the city in 480 BCE,” and to,
“house the new cult statue of the goddess [Athena] by Pheidias,” (Cartwright). In addition to

creating the statue of Athena to be housed, Pheidias also oversaw the design and materialization

of the project that resulted in the Parthenon. “The Parthenon would become the largest Doric

Greek temple, although it was innovative in that it mixed the two architectural styles of Doric

and the newer Ionic,” (Cartwright). The Parthenon was the first temple to have such a high

quantity and quality of decorative sculptures. The historical, cultural, and artistic value of the

Parthenon cannot be understated. Because of this importance, every part of the temple is

priceless- particularly the numerous marble sculptures from Pheidias and his assistants. It is no

wonder, then, why both the British Museum and Greek officials arduously argue for custody

over them.

If the Parthenon Marbles were originally fixed in Athens, how did they find themselves

in hands of the British Museum today? In the 19th century, Thomas Bruce, seventh Earl of Elgin,

was the English ambassador for the Ottoman Empire. During this same time period, the

Ottomans occupied Athens and exerted their power over the area. Taking advantage of this,

Elgin sought to get hold of as many Greek monuments as he could. To this end he made many

large payments to acquire a firman from the ottomans granting him the ability to take many

artifacts- such as the marbles (Merryman 1902). After bringing the pieces of art back to England,

Elgin tried his best to restore the works’ beauty. The acquisition and care for the Parthenon

marbles proved too taxing a passion for Elgin’s wallet so he pressured the British government to

purchase the sculptures from him. They reluctantly complied (for less than half his asking price)

and in 1832 the marbles were moved to the Elgin Room in the British Museum (Josse). Since

then, the Parthenon Marbles have settled in and become “emblems of British national identity,”

that many refuse to cede (Challis).

 Although the acquisition may at first appear to be legal based on the summarization of

events, the deeper one looks into the water, the murkier it gets. Bearing in mind that legal

obtainment supports England’s argument and illegal obtainment supports Greece’s argument, we

begin at the end and go backwards through time, starting with the purchase of the Parthenon

Marbles from Elgin by the British government. Seeing no issue with that handshake, we move on

to the taking of the marbles from Athens. Assuming the firman was acquired legally, did it really

allow Ambassador Elgin to take cultural and historical treasures as he pleased? Unfortunately,

the original firman written in Turkish is lost, but the Italian translation has been preserved. One

of the permissions Elgin asked for when he requested the firman in question was the, “liberty to

take away any sculptures or inscriptions which do not interfere with the works or walls of the

Citadel,” (Merryman 1898). In the Italian version of the firman he was granted by the Ottomans

in Constantinople, it is requested of the local officials in reference to Elgin’s team, “that no one

meddle with their scaffolding or implements nor hinder them from taking away any pieces of

stone with inscriptions and figures,” (Merryman 1898). This segment of the firman can be

interpreted in varied degrees of strictness to support either side’s claim to the sculptures. The

most flexible reading would give Elgin the right to take whatever he wishes from the Acropolis.

A more rigid appraisal would restrict Elgin’s selection of “souvenirs” to only pieces of stone

which have already been isolated and contain no impressions more complicated than ucials

(letters like in an alphabet and numbers). Because there is no clear-cut ruling that can be drawn

from this translation of the firman, it is only reasonable to choose the assessment that is

favorable for the issuer. Obviously the firman would not have this clause if it did not benefit the

recipient in some way, so there is some modicum of leeway to also be expected in Elgin’s favor.

The most realistic charter, then, that can be drawn from the Italian translation of the firman
would allow for some artifacts to be taken but most certainly not stone works as large, valuable,

and complex as the Parthenon Marbles. Even if the firman did permit Elgin to take the marbles,

it is highly likely that the firman was acquired by means of bribery which further discounts the

validity of his actions (Merryman 1901). Also, to be called into question is whether permission

given by the Ottoman Empire should be considered valid- as they gained power over Athens via

conquest. Although this issue pertains more to opinion than fact, it is a small contribution to the

case arguing against the legality of the statues’ obtainment. Because it has been demonstrated

that the Parthenon Marbles were not obtained legally by Ambassador Elgin originally, their

purchase by the British government should be equally forfeit. On the basis of legality alone, the

sculptures should be returned to their rightful owner for proper accommodation and care in

Greece.

Another justification for retaining the Parthenon Marbles is who can better take care of

them. When the marbles were first acquired by Elgin, it is undeniable that their new caretaker

had greater ability to preserve their beauty. During the transportation and removal process,

however, Elgin’s party damaged the marbles and the Parthenon severely. After possession was

given to the British Museum, there was an accidental liberty taken under the instruction of,

“prepare the sculptures for display,” where, “copper tools and abrasive carborundum were used

to remove not only two millennia of grime, but also the honey-brown patina, the remaining

traces of original color, and the chisel marks of Pheidias' workmen,” (Brysac 75). Even if the

British Museum has the potential to treat the Parthenon Marbles better than Greece, if they fail to

actually do so, then custody should be given to Greece as England has no legal right to

ownership, and the marbles were given life in Greece.

 In discussions of the Parthenon Marbles’ rightful resting place, most of us will readily

agree that Ambassador Elgin’s actions benefitted the archaeological community by relocating the

sculptures to a place where they were better protected. In doing so, some damage was incurred

but the overall benefits far outweighed the sacrifices. Where this agreement usually ends,

however, is on the question of whether the marbles should stay where they are in the British

Museum or make their way back to Greece. Whereas some are convinced that staying in the

British Museum is the best option for maximizing the sculptures longevity, others, myself

included, maintain that the monuments would be cared for equally well in Greece where they

were created. The works of art are a valuable part of Grecian history and deserve to be displayed

along side the land they were made for.

 Works Cited

Björnberg, Karin Edvardsson. “Historic Injustices and the Moral Case for Cultural

Repatriation.” Ethical Theory and Moral Practice, vol. 18, no. 3, July 2014, pp. 461–474.,

doi:10.1007/s 10677-014-9530-z.

Bosanquet, R. C., and M. N. Tod. “Archaeology in Greece 1901—1902.” The Journal of

Hellenic Studies, vol. 22, 1902, pp. 378–394., doi:10.2307/623936.

Brysac, Shareen Blair. “THE PARTHENON MARBLES CUSTODY CASE: Did British

Restorers Mutilate the Famoussculptures?” Archaeology, vol. 52, no. 3, 1999, pp. 74–77.

Cartwright, Mark. “Parthenon.” Ancient History Encyclopedia, Ancient History

Encyclopedia, 27 Feb. 2019, www.ancient.eu/parthenon/.

Challis, Debbie. “The Parthenon Sculptures: Emblems of British National Identity.” The

British Art Journal, vol. 7, no. 1, 2016, pp. 33–39.

Graff, Gerald, and Cathy Birkenstein. "They Say / I Say": the Moves That Matter in

Academic Writing. W.W. Norton & Company, 2018.

Hellier, Chris, et al. “Jousting over the Parthenon Marbles.” Archaeology NEWS, 2000,

pp. 26–26.

Josse/Scala, et al. “How the Parthenon Lost Its Marbles.” National Geographic, National

Geographic, 28 Mar. 2017, www.nationalgeographic.com/archaeology-and-

history/magazine/2017/03-04/parthenon-sculptures-british-museum-controversy/.

Knoblauch, Ann-Marie. “Archaeology as the History of Cultural Property.” The

Classical World, vol. 97, no. 2, 2004, p. 179., doi:10.2307/4352847.

 Merryman, John Henry. “Thinking about the Elgin Marbles.” Michigan Law Review, vol.

83, no. 8, 1985, p. 1880., doi:10.2307/1288954.

Michaelis, Ad. “Ancient Marbles in Great Britain Supplement I.” The Journal of Hellenic

Studies, vol. 5, 1884, pp. 143–161., doi:10.2307/623699.

Michaelis, Ad. “Ancient Marbles in Great Britain: Supplement II.” The Journal of

Hellenic Studies, vol. 6, 1885, pp. 30–49., doi:10.2307/623386.

Poggioli, Sylvia. “Greece Unveils Museum Meant For 'Stolen' Sculptures.” NPR, NPR,

19 Oct. 2009, www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113889188.

Smith, A. H. “Lord Elgin and His Collection.” The Journal of Hellenic Studies, vol. 36,

1916, pp. 163–372., doi:10.2307/625773.

Thompson, Janna. “Cultural Property, Restitution and Value.” Journal of Applied

Philosophy, vol. 20, no. 3, 2003, pp. 251–262.

Tilden, Imogen. “Elgin Marbles Will Never Leave UK, Says Museum Chief.” The

Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 15 Jan. 2002,

www.theguardian.com/uk/2002/jan/15/parthenon.heritage.

Young, James O. “Cultures and Cultural Property.” Journal of Applied Philosophy, vol.

24, no. 2, 2007, pp. 111–124.