Lord Elgin Marbles Research Paper

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The Elgin Marbles are artifacts removed from the Greek Parthenon in the early 1800's and taken to England by the Ambassador to Constantinople. Lord Elgin wanted to save the priceless artifacts from complete destruction or removal. He then obtained permission from the occupying Turks to permanently remove the artifacts and keep them in England. Lord Elgin's collection was later bought by the British government and displayed for the public, where the marbles remain today.

The Elgin Marbles should remain in England for 2 reasons. The Parthenon had been transformed into a church. During this transformation, the original art work was destroyed to take out pagan figures to line up with Christian views. Once the Turks were in power, they turned the Parthenon into a mosque. In the late 1600's, the Turks were using the Parthenon as a gun powder storage and it was blown up by Venitian opposition. Knowing this history, Lord Elgin decided to take action and save the artifacts through legal means.
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The Louvre in Paris also houses some of these artifacts. This provides a chance for more people to appreciate the art, along with other pieces from around the world. The British Museum not only has the Elgin Marbles, but also the Rosetta Stone The more access we have provides a better opportunity for people to better understand history.

In conclusion, the fact that the marbles were obtained through legal means and that it provides a chance for people to see many works of art in place, I believe that the Elgin Marbles should remain in England. Many could argue against England keeping these artifacts, I have provided adequate facts against

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