MUSEUMS AND ANCIENT HISTORY (2): THE ELGIN MARBLES

Resolved:  "The Elgin Marbles should be returned to Greece."

THE PROCEDURE:  Using the resources below as your guide, research the history of the Elgin Marbles and familiarize yourself with some of the arguments used for and against the return of the Parthenon Marbles to Athens.  We will not have a formal debate, but we still will spend the first several minutes of class discussing the pros and cons of the resolution above, before broadening out our discussion to assess the significance of the Elgin Marbles controversy.

Possible Starting Places

  Mary Beard, "Lord Elgin -- Saviour Or Vandal," BBC History.

  "Who Owns The Parthenon Sculptures?," Smarthistory, March 16, 2018.  (11 mins)

"The 'Elgin' Marbles," In Focus, March 16, 2012.

Elgin Marbles In The News

  Special Report -- Parthenon Marbles:  A large anthology of news articles from the British-based Guardian.

  Helena Smith, "Greece To Step Up Parthenon Marbles Pressure Amid Signs Tide Is Turning," Guardian, January 18, 2022.

  Sarah Hucal, "Italy's Return Of Parthenon Fragment To Greece Shakes Up Debate In UK," DW, January 11, 2022.

  Helena Smith, "Time Has Come For UK To Return Parthenon Marbles, Says Greek PM," Guardian, January 10, 2022.

  Angela Giuffrida, "Italy Returns Parthenon Fragment To Greece Amid UK Row Over Marbles," Guardian, January 5, 2022.

  Alex Marshall, "As Europe Returns Artifacts, Britain Stays Silent," New York Times, December 20, 2021.

  Helena Smith, "Boris Johnson's Zeal To Return Parthenon Marbles Revealed In 1986 Article," Observer, December 18, 2021.

  Helena Smith, "Parthenon Marbles Should Never Have Been Removed, Boris Johnson Wrote," Guardian, November 23, 2021.

  Helena Smith, "Boris Johnson Rules Out Return Of Parthenon Marbles To Greece," Guardian, March 12, 2021.

  Tasos Kokkinidis, "Members Of US Congress Ask Britain To Return Elgin Marbles To Greece," Greek Reporter, September 23, 2020.

  David Carden, "My Solution To The Parthenon Marbles Row: A Museum For The 21st Century," Guardian, February 21, 2020.

  Anthee Carassava, "Have The UK And Greece Lost Their Marbles?," DW, February 21, 2019.

Mark Brown, "British Museum Chief: Taking The Parthenon Marbles Was 'Creative,'" Guardian, January 28, 2019.

  Kathleen Schuster, "Greece Could Use Brexit To Recover 'Stolen' Parthenon Art," DW, August 26, 2017.

  Geoffrey Robertson, "Let's Do A Brexit Deal With The Parthenon Marbles," Guardian, April 4, 2017.

  Constantine Sandis, "Britain Has Kept The 'Elgin Marbles' For 200 Years -- Now It's Time To Pass Them On," Conversation, June 7, 2016.

  Helena Smith, "Greece Looks To International Justice To Regain Parthenon Marbles From UK," Guardian, May 8, 2016.

Jonathan Jones, "Parthenon Marbles: Greece's Claim Is Nationalist Rhetoric That Deserves To Fail," Guardian, May 14, 2015.

  "Elgin Marbles: UK Declines Mediation Over Parthenon Sculptures," BBC News, April 8, 2015.

  John Wilson, "On The Road With Neil MacGregor, The Man Who Uses Culture To Win Friends," Observer, December 7, 2014.

  Victoria Ward, "Why Are The Elgin Marbles So Controversial -- And Everything Else You Need To Know," Telegraph, December 5, 2014.

  Steven Erlanger, "Greek Statue Travels Again, But Not To Greece," New York Times, December 5, 2014.

  "How Did The Elgin Marbles Get Here?," BBC News, December 5, 2014.

"Elgin Marbles: British Museum Lends Statue To Russia," BBC News, December 5, 2014.

"Elgin Marbles: British Loan 'An Affront To The Greek People,'" BBC News, December 5, 2014.

Scott Neuman, "Greece Condemns British Museum For Lending Out Elgin Marbles," Two-Way, NPR, December 5, 2014.

Hugh Muir, "The British Museum Is Wrong To Loan The Parthenon Marbles To Russia," Guardian, December 5, 2014.

  Jonathan Jones, "The Art World's Shame: Why Britain Must Give Its Colonial Booty Back," Guardian, November 4, 2014.

Menelaos Tzafalias, "Amal Clooney's Great Acropolis Adventure," Al Jazeera, October 18, 2014.

  Helena Smith, "Amal Clooney Advises Greece On Return Of Parthenon Marbles To Athens," Guardian, October 14, 2014.

Marett Leiboff, "Lawyers Look At The Elgin Marbles, But Stars Keep Them Firmly In Sight," Conversation, October 9, 2014.

  Trevor Timpson, "Parthenon Marbles And Koh-i-Noor: Cameron Opposes 'Returnism,'" BBC News, March 1, 2013.

Trevor Timpson, "To Sue Or Not To Sue?: Parthenon Marbles Activists Debate," BBC News, June 20, 2012.

  Florence Waters, "Stephen Fry Calls For Britain To Return Parthenon Frieze To Greece," Telegraph, June 12, 2012.

  Trevor Timpson, "Parthenon Marbles: Taking Up The Fight," BBC News, January 5, 2011.

  Michael Kimmelman, "Who Draws The Borders Of Culture?," New York Times, May 5, 2010.

  Michael Kimmelman, "Elgin Marble Argument In A New Light," New York Times, June 23, 2009.

  Nicole Itano, "Showcased At Greece's New Acropolis Museum: Missing Artifacts," Christian Science Monitor, June 21, 2009.

  "Greece Urges Return Of Sculptures," BBC News, June 21, 2009.

  "In Pictures: Acropolis Museum," BBC News, June 20, 2009.

"Acropolis Museum Opens Amid Renewed Debate Over Elgin Marbles," DW, June 19, 2009.

Christopher Hitchens, "Opinion: A Home For The Marbles," New York Times, June 18, 2009.

  "Greece 'Would Refuse Marble Loans,'" BBC News, June 12, 2009.

  Malcolm Brabant, "New Home For Greece's Holy Grail," BBC News, May 7, 2008.

  Nicolai Ouroussoff, "Where Gods Yearn For Long-Lost Treasures," New York Times, October 28, 2007.

"Greece Restates Claim To Elgin Marbles," New York Times, September 25, 2007.

  Trevor Timpson, "Fear And Fury Among The Marbles," BBC News, September 12, 2007.

  "Talks On Elgin Marbles Row," BBC News, May 10, 2007.

  "Ancient Wreath Returns To Greece," BBC News, March 30, 2007.

  "Greek Pupils Demand Elgin Marbles," BBC News, January 30, 2007.

  Malcolm Brabant, "Swede Gives Back Acropolis Marble," BBC News, November 10, 2006.

  "'No Bid' To Halt Sculpture Return," BBC News, October 24, 2006.

  Trevor Timpson, "Return The Marbles?: Forget It," BBC News, January 19, 2006.

  "Law Blocks Return Of Looted Art," BBC News, May 27, 2005.

"Case Could Force Marbles' Return," BBC News, May 25, 2005.

  "Countries Battle Over Artefacts," BBC News, July 27, 2004.

Dorothy King, "Elgin Marbles: Fact Or Fiction?," Guardian Unlimited, July 21, 2004.

  James Bregman, "The Real Story Of The Elgin Marbles," BBC News, June 25, 2004.

"New Life For Old Elgin Marbles?," BBC News, March 23, 2004.

"What's Been Said About The Marbles," BBC News, March 23, 2004.

"Talks Planned Over Elgin Marbles," BBC News, January 22, 2004.

  "Elgin Marbles Campaign Launches," BBC News, January 14, 2004.

"'No Return' For Elgin Marbles," BBC News, February 23, 2003.

  "Greek Minister On Marbles Mission," BBC News, November 11, 2002.

  "Stars Campaign To Return Elgin Marbles," BBC News, January 17, 2002.

  "Elgin Marbles: The Story So Far," BBC News, November 30, 1999.

Elgin Marbles: Audio And Video Sources

"Lord Elgin And The Parthenon Sculptures, Part I," Stuff You Missed In History Class, IHeart, January 20, 2020.  (42 mins)

"Lord Elgin And The Parthenon Sculptures, Part II," Stuff You Missed In History Class, IHeart, January 22, 2020.  (51 mins)

  "The Woman Who Asked Britain To Return The Parthenon Marbles," Witness History, BBC World Service, March 7, 2019.  (9 mins)

  "Greece Seeks To Bring Back Ancient Sculptures From The UK," PBS News Hour Weekend, March 3, 2019.  (7 mins)

  "Greece Wants Its Treasured Elgin Marbles Back, But The Law Won't Be On Their Side," World, PRI, May 14, 2015.

  "Send Them Back: The Parthenon Marbles Should Be Returned To Athens," Intelligence Squared, June 22, 2012:  A formal debate involving four participants in London.

  "Parthenon Battle," National Geographic News, May 26, 2010.  (5 mins)

  "Who Owns The Elgin Marbles?," On Point, NPR, June 25, 2009:  An audio feature from the American public broadcaster.

  "Losing Their Marbles," ABC Foreign Correspondent, October 7, 2008.

BBC Museum -- Greece, Parthenon (Room 18):

Elgin Marbles: Articles

  Christopher Hitchens, "The Lovely Stones," Vanity Fair (July 2009).

Richard Covington, "Acropolis Now: A Modern Museum Of Ancient Greece Rises Near The Parthenon," Smithsonian (February 2008).

Josie Appleton, "The Anti-Bloomsbury Set: The Elgin Marbles Are More At Home In The British Museum Than They Would Be In Athens," Spiked-Online (March 3, 2002).

Elgin Marbles: Web-Sites

  Wikipedia -- Elgin Marbles:  An entry from the on-line encyclopedia.

Parthenon Marbles:

  Restitution Of The Parthenon Marbles:  The position of the Greek Ministry of Culture.

Marbles Reunited:

  British Committee For The Reunification Of The Parthenon Marbles:

Parthenon Sculptures, British Museum: