ARTS

The British Museum has lent one of the so-called “Elgin Marbles” to Russia. What are the Elgins, what is cultural repatriation, and why is this such a controversy? (The Telegraph)

Use our resources to better understand cultural repatriation.

Should the statues be returned to Greece? Scroll down to vote!

Teachers, scroll down for a quick list of key resources in our Teachers Toolkit.

Discussion Ideas

• Read through our blog post on cultural repatriation. What is cultural repatriation?
  • Cultural repatriation is the return of stolen cultural objects to their original countries or communities.

• What are some examples of demands for cultural repatriation of artifacts?
  • Our blog post analyzes the Hopi (Native American) demand for the repatriation of spiritual artifacts from a private collector and auction house.
  • Egyptian authorities have requested the repatriation of many mummies, sarcophagi, and other artifacts from museums and private collectors all over the world. Watch this Nat Geo video where a 3,000-year-old sarcophagus confiscated by U.S. Customs agents in Miami is repatriated to Egyptian authorities.
  • National Geographic Executive Vice President Terry Garcia talks about the looting of gold Inca artifacts in this video (starting about 3:12).
  • Jewish collectors victimized during the Holocaust lost valuable paintings and other works of art. Today, organizations are pressuring private collectors and public museums to return these artworks to surviving family members.
  • Wars in Afghanistan and Iraq have contributed to trafficking in art from those countries.
  • Economic growth in China and India has increased demand for artifacts from those nations, such as pottery or manuscripts.

• Read through the excellent Telegraph article on the Elgin Marbles. Consider a pro/con debate on the subject. These pro/con arguments from Wikipedia and Debatepedia might give you some guidance.

• Pro: What are the arguments for cultural repatriation—returning the sculptures to Greece?
  • Money. The new Acropolis Museum and business community of Athens would benefit economically from repatriation. The artifacts would help generate millions of euros in revenues.
  • Heritage and Context: The Elgin Marbles are part of “one of the world’s greatest cultural monuments,” the Parthenon. Archaeologists think the Parthenon was Athens’ “great billboard,” establishing the city-state’s “myth, memory, values, and identity.” The Parthenon and its sculptures are the cultural heritage of Athens, Greece, and are best appreciated within their cultural context.
  • Ownership: The statuary was taken during Greece’s occupation by Turkey. This trade with an invading force makes the transaction illegal.
  • Preservation: While it may have been true that the statues may have been in danger from conflict or pollution in the past, that is not the case now. The Acropolis Museum is a high-tech, well-maintained cultural facility that successfully displays other artifacts and treasures from the Acropolis and ancient Greece.

• Con: What are the arguments against cultural repatriation—for keeping the statues in London?
  • Money. The British Museum and the London business community employ thousands of people and are responsible for millions of pounds in tourist revenues every year.
  • Exposure and Exchange. The British Museum is in London, England, one of the most-visited cities in the world. Moreover, the museum is free. The Elgin Marbles are seen and enjoyed by millions of people every year: teachers, students, historians, and the general public. If the Elgins are repatriated to Athens, fewer people will be able to appreciate the art or the culture from which it came.
  • History. The Elgin Marbles were legally obtained from the authorities in power at the time. Laws that limit the current sale of antiquities should be enforced, but this purchase was made long before any such laws existed.
  • Heritage. The Elgin Marbles represent the foundation of Western Civilization, not just Athens. In addition, modern nations (including Greece) do not really have strong connections to cultures that existed thousands of years ago. Our cultures are separated by language, society, fashion, religion, etc.

• Why is the British Museum’s loan of one of the Elgin Marbles to Russia reviving the controversy?
  • This is the first time any of the sculptures has left England. In the words of Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras, “The decision by the British Museum to give out on loan one of the Parthenon sculptures for exhibit in St. Petersburg is an affront to the Greek people.
    “The British argument held until recently—that the Parthenon Marbles cannot be moved—is no longer valid; just as the existence of the new Acropolis Museum invalidated the other British argument that there was no appropriate space for exhibiting the sculptures.
    “We Greeks are one with our history and civilization, which cannot be broken up, loaned out, or conceded.”

• What in the world does George Clooney have to do with this?
  • His wife, Amal, is a lawyer who is helping advise the Greek government on possible action in the international courts to force the return of the marbles.

TEACHERS TOOLKIT

The Telegraph: Why are the Elgin marbles so controversial – and everything else you need to know

Nat Geo: Hopi Fight To Halt Artifact Auction

Wikipedia: Art Repatriation: Arguments

Debatepedia: Returning cultural treasures to country of origin

The Acropolis Museum: The Parthenon Gallery

The British Museum: The Parthenon Sculptures