Popularly known as the elgin marbles.
British museum elgin marbles statement.
Greece on saturday urged britain to return the parthenon marbles often known as the elgin marbles as one of the world s greatest ancient sites the acropolis re opens after the coronavirus.
Read the british museum blog for in depth stories about exhibitions events and the collection.
Art world the british museum says it will never return the elgin marbles defending their removal as a creative act hartwig fischer s statements are already drawing international backlash.
The elgin marbles are british owned purchased by the crown from lord elgin in 1816 and presented by parliament to the british museum.
When the marbles were shipped to england they were an instant success among many who admired the sculptures and supported their arrival but both the sculptures and elgin also received criticism from detractors.
The objects were removed from the parthenon at athens and from other ancient buildings and shipped to england by arrangement of thomas bruce 7th lord elgin who was british.
Ian jenkins the parthenon sculptures in the british museum british museum press 2007 ian jenkins greek architecture and its sculpture in the british museum british museum press 2006 mary beard the parthenon profile 2002 william st clair lord elgin and the marbles 3rd edition oxford university press 1998.
Following a vote of parliament the british museum was allocated funds to acquire the collection.
Issued a statement on saturday condemning fischer s legitimate.
Lord elgin s activities were thoroughly investigated by a parliamentary select committee in 1816 and found to be entirely legal.
Lord elgin began negotiations for the sale of the collection to the british museum in 1811 but negotiations failed despite the support of british artists after the government.
The elgin marbles on display at the british museum in london mr dowden s letter seen by the sunday telegraph comes after a summer of cultural clashes over britain s colonial past.
The greek government has asked for a loan of the sculptures which has been turned down by the british museum.
End of meanwhile a fourth simply.
Plus explore collection online for detailed descriptions of objects.