Elgin Marbles Research Paper

The extensive controversy between Great Britain and Greece over the Elgin Marbles has been going on for several hundred years. Ironically, Greece did not exist at the time of the catalyst. It all started in 1801 when the British Lord Elgin, the ambassador to the Ottoman Turks, began to move the marbles from present-day Greece to London. The marbles in question are from the world-famous Parthenon structure in the Athens Acropolis. The temple was built nearly 2,500 years ago. The Elgin Marbles are a set of eighty yards of the Parthenon’s frieze, which is a trademark Greek series of statues that normally sit on the upper exterior walls of a temple (“Parthenon Sculptures”). The real heat of the argument begins in the early twentieth century when a restoration movement was put into motion (Venieri). Greece wants their art back, as they have spent a great deal of money on a museum to house them. Though the legality and ownership of the Elgin Marbles remains a controversy, a compromise can be reached for their location.
The British, however, do have quite a serious claim to the legal possession of the marbles. Consequently, they do not see the need for a compromise. The first argument would be the most obvious one: conservation. Many experts believe that Lord Elgin
Their purpose is to teach us about the ancient cultures that we base so much of our present day lives off of. The dispute over them may have honestly been some strange blessing, as it has the public discussing ancient history more than ever. The compromise would enable the two countries to get along peacefully. Their respective archaeological communities would thank their lucky stars, as collaboration would become easier between the two great historical societies. When push comes to shove, legality comes second to the education these marbles have to offer. The stones can be bought, but what they teach is