Marble pieces may return to Parthenon: British Museum defends agreement with Greece | Pop & Art

Since the beginning of the 20th century, Greece has officially demanded the withdrawal of 75 meters of fries taken from the Parthenon and taken to the English capital. The Mediterranean country still wants one of the marble carotids supporting a small temple in the Acropolis of Athens, one of the treasures of the British Museum.

The UK has always refused to refund the pieces, which were purchased by the British Ambassador Lord Elgin in 1802 and resold to the Museum on the grounds that they were legally acquired. However, Greece claims that the pieces were looted during the Ottoman occupation of its territory.

The matter returned to debate in March, when a lawsuit was filed against the British Museum for preventing marble fragments from being 3D scanned. The Oxford Institute of Digital Archeology intends to create a three – dimensional version of the Greek fragments, which will be a way to expand material access and resolve issues between Athens and London, the company’s director told the Guardian newspaper.

In April, Boris Johnson’s government announced that it would open talks with the Greek administration before UNESCO. However, the government retorted that such a decision was in the hands of the museum.

This week, the head of the British Museum released a statement showing his desire to solve the problem. In an interview with LBC Radio, George Osborne said he was ready for a deal to share the pieces.

“If this situation is discussed without too many preconditions or restrictions, I hope an agreement is possible to tell their story simultaneously in Athens and London,” he said.

Asked if it was possible to be on display in Greece for a while and then return to London, he said this kind of negotiation was possible. “One that allows you to see them in all their splendor in Athens and as examples of other civilizations in London,” he explained.

Public opinion in Britain is largely in favor of returning parts. In a recent study by the British Yukov Institute, 59% of participants thought the pieces should be returned. Eight years ago, only 37% of the population supported the return to work.

Pressure has increased on European cultural institutions to repatriate pieces taken from their countries during the colonial period. In 2021, the University of Cambridge returned to Nigeria for a bronze work that was plundered from the country a century ago.