Greece rejects Parthenon Marbles loan offer

[Hellenicoz]

Greece rejects Parthenon Marbles loan offer


ATHENS (AFP) — Greece on Thursday turned down a British Museum loan offer for the long-disputed Parthenon Marbles, arguing that acceptance would "legalise their snatching" by a 19th century British diplomat.

"The government, as any other Greek government would have done in its place, is obliged to turn down the offer," Culture Minister Antonis Samaras said in a statement.

"This is because accepting it would legalise the snatching of the Marbles and the monument's carving-up 207 years ago," Samaras said.

He was responding to statements by British Museum spokeswoman Hannah Boulton who told Greek Skai Radio on Wednesday that the museum could consider loaning the Marbles to Greece for three months.

But Greece would have to recognise the museum's ownership rights to the sculptures, she said.

Samaras on Friday said he is prepared to discuss other Greek antiquity offers to "fill the gap" in the British Museum should the Marbles return home.

Greece has long pursued a campaign for the return of the priceless friezes, removed in 1806 by Lord Elgin when Greece was occupied by the Ottoman Empire and later sold to the British Museum.

A new museum for the remaining parts of the frieze and other sculptures from the Acropolis is scheduled to open on June 20.

Greece has invited foreign leaders and museum officials to attend the five-day inauguration which it hopes will pile pressure on the British Museum to return the Marbles.

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[neweuropean]

I believe that all artifacts in all museums, that can reasonably be traced to their
countries of origin should be returned to their country. That applies to all
artifacts from any country, especially if it can be shown to be taken out of
a country under questionable circumstances. The countries that the artifacts
belong to can then decide if THEY would like to loan the pieces for displays
in other countries, after their own people have a chance to enjoy them.

Has Greece thought of placing an empty display in their museum? With
a sign that says " This is where the Parthenon Marbles would normally be
displayed, but the British Museum is currently holding our stolen items,
and refuses to return them."

If the British Museum seems to have no inborn sense of rightness, maybe
they can be shamed into doing the right thing. At least it would be permanently
out there, to remind the world every day of what's going on.

[Hellenicoz]

NO MARBLES!!!! NO FLAME!!!! (LONDON 2012 OLYMPIC GAMES)

Visit <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.marblesforflame.com">http://www.marblesforflame.com</a><!-- m --> and
add your name to demand the return of the marbles.

[Hellenicoz]

Greece's Acropolis Museum to open
By Helene Colliopoulou – 1 day ago

ATHENS (AFP) — Greece's Acropolis Museum will finally be unveiled on Saturday, an ultra-modern glass building at the foot of the ancient citadel originally intended to be open in time for the 2004 Olympics.

Designed by celebrated Franco-Swiss architect Bernard Tschumi, it offers panoramic views of the stone citadel and showcases sculptures from the golden age of Athenian democracy in the fifth century BCE.

The three-level building set out over a total area of 25,000 square metres (270,000 square feet) will display more than 350 artefacts and sculptures that were previously held in a small museum atop the Acropolis.

"After several adventures, obstructions and criticism, the new Acropolis Museum is ready: a symbol of modern Greece that pays homage to its ancestors, the duty of a nation to its cultural heritage," Greek Culture Minister Antonis Samaras told journalists.

The first floor of the museum holds a series of objects including antique ceramics, bas reliefs and sculptures.

The Caryatids, columns sculpted as females holding up the roof of a porch on the southern side of the Erectheum temple, dominate the top of a glass ramp leading up the second floor, on which sculptures from the Temple of Athena and the Propylaea entrance to the Acropolis will be displayed.

The third floor, with natural light streaming in, contains a reconstruction of the Parthenon Marbles. It is based upon several elements that remain in Athens as well as copies of the marbles still housed in the British Museum in London, which are differentiated by their white colour.

Greece has long pursued a campaign for the return of the priceless friezes, removed in 1806 by Lord Elgin when Greece was occupied by the Ottoman Empire and which the British Museum refuses to repatriate.

"For the first time visitors can see all of the friezes together and understand the problem of the dispersion of the pieces between London and Athens," said museum president Dimitris Pantermalis.

British Museum officials were nevertheless invited to the opening of the new museum and were set to attend, although they insisted there was no change of position on the return of the priceless artefacts.

"The museum is a catalyst for the repatriation of the friezes that were taken away and looted," said Samaras.

Since 1974 successive Greek governments have tried to get a new museum built, but it was only after Tschumi's design won a fourth competition in 2001 that construction got under way.

The new museum was intended to open in time for the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, but that target date fell by the wayside due to technical and bureaucratic hurdles.

Not the least of them was the discovery of the remains of ancient buildings under the proposed site of the museum on the southern slope of the Acropolis. The problem was resolved by incorporating the ruins into part of the museum's display.

The museum, built on a budget of 130 million euros (180 million dollars), can welcome up to 10,000 visitors per day.

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[Big_Becka]

I am embarrassed and ashamed by the British Museum - their actions reflect badly on the British :nonnon

You know, there are plenty of reasons to go to the British Museum - I have been before and didn't even see the Elgin Marbles! I say we should let the Greeks have their property back, so that the marbles can be displayed where they belong. They are more valuable to the Greek authorities and people.

I think that a lot of the displays in British museums were "collected" by wealthy adventurers and aristocrats. Maybe the authorities are worried that if the Elgin Marbles are returned, everyone else will want their artifacts back too ;-)

[Hellenicoz]

Is it time to return the Parthenon Marbles?

The Greek minister of culture claims that public opinion in the UK favours the return of the Parthenon Marbles. Is he right?


<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/poll/2009/jun/24/elgin-marbles">http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/poll/ ... in-marbles</a><!-- m -->

[Nathan]

I think that a lot of the displays in British museums were "collected" by wealthy adventurers and aristocrats. Maybe the authorities are worried that if the Elgin Marbles are returned, everyone else will want their artifacts back too ;-)

Very funny :haha , It may be rally so. They are just afraid that their museum will empty, because it is full of foreign artifacts and displays. But, certainly I agree with the rest, that they should be returned where they are taken from.