One of the exhibits at the British Museum that has attracted millions of visitors is the collection of sculptures from the Parthenon known as the Elgin Marbles. These marbles have been at the centre of debate for years over where they should reside. They are originally from the Parthenon in Athens, Greece, and there is controversy over whether or not the Trustees of the British Museum legally acquired the collection. Lord Elgin’s illegitimate acquisition of the Parthenon sculptures along with the damage caused to the marbles support the argument to return them back to Athens where they can be viewed in their intended context. The Elgin Marbles are a symbol of national pride and history for the city of Athens that would attract tourists and
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The temple was built between 447 and 432 BCE in the Age of Pericles. The Parthenon was dedicated to the city’s patron deity Athena. The Parthenon was “constructed to house the new cult statue of the goddess by Phidias and to proclaim to the world the success of Athens as leader of the coalition of Greek forces which had defeated the invading Persian armies of Darius and Xerxes” (Cartwright). For more than a thousand years, the Parthenon continued to be used as Athens’ most beloved temple. The Parthenon’s decorative sculptures set this temple apart from any other temples in Greece. These sculptures were symbolic of Greece’s political and cultural history. The decorations along the walls of the Parthenon “portrayed the victories of Greek gods and heroes over their enemies, symbolizing the victory of civilization over barbarism. The sculptures displayed the citizens of Athens as being close to the gods, which to an Athenian citizen of the time, signified the glorification of all of Greece’s people” (Reppas, 3). The 92 metopes that decorated the Parthenon depicted many of the themes of Greek history as well as important figures like Olympian gods and scenes from Greek mythology. The statue of Athena inside the Parthenon is the most important sculpture in the entire temple. Creating such a grand statue demonstrated the “wealth and power of the city” in its “tribute to their patron god” (Cartwright). The Parthenon itself, and most notably the sculptures that were taken by Lord Elgin, served as symbols of Greek history and of the Gods that they
The temple was built between 447 and 432 BCE in the Age of Pericles. The Parthenon was dedicated to the city’s patron deity Athena. The Parthenon was “constructed to house the new cult statue of the goddess by Phidias and to proclaim to the world the success of Athens as leader of the coalition of Greek forces which had defeated the invading Persian armies of Darius and Xerxes” (Cartwright). For more than a thousand years, the Parthenon continued to be used as Athens’ most beloved temple. The Parthenon’s decorative sculptures set this temple apart from any other temples in Greece. These sculptures were symbolic of Greece’s political and cultural history. The decorations along the walls of the Parthenon “portrayed the victories of Greek gods and heroes over their enemies, symbolizing the victory of civilization over barbarism. The sculptures displayed the citizens of Athens as being close to the gods, which to an Athenian citizen of the time, signified the glorification of all of Greece’s people” (Reppas, 3). The 92 metopes that decorated the Parthenon depicted many of the themes of Greek history as well as important figures like Olympian gods and scenes from Greek mythology. The statue of Athena inside the Parthenon is the most important sculpture in the entire temple. Creating such a grand statue demonstrated the “wealth and power of the city” in its “tribute to their patron god” (Cartwright). The Parthenon itself, and most notably the sculptures that were taken by Lord Elgin, served as symbols of Greek history and of the Gods that they