The story of the Marbles of Elgin
The international market for ancient and cultural arts is one that has a significantly destructive shadow. It is dotted with destroyed tombs, broken statues, and facades that are chainsawed off temples. The primary purpose of the destructions is to feed a lucrative economic demand from connoisseurs who take pleasure in the artistic attributes of the cultural objects. They also enjoy the investment value of their collection as well as the social status that is attributed to the high culture. In most cases, the source countries are often less economically developed and may not be well equipped to protect the heritage and the cultural resources against plunder.
The story of the Marbles of Elgin is one that is quite controversial. The marbles, also known as the Parthenon sculptures, are a collection of marble sculptures that were initially adorned atop the exterior of the Parthenon in Athens, Greece. They tell the birth of the goddesses, Athena, while depicting the battle between the goddess and the god Poseidon over who would be the patron deity of Athens.
While this marble sculpture is a depiction of the Greek culture, it is currently in a showcase in London-England. This is because it is legally the property of England. When Lord Elgin moved the sculptures, Athens was still under the control of the Ottoman sultans. Greece got independence more than twenty years after the removal of the statues. Elgin had obtained permission from the Ottoman’s to move the sculptures. He presented a document that was an English translation of the original Italian copy of that time. The document was a request from Elgin that asked the British government to purchase the Marbles. Therefore, the British had proper permission from the Ottoman authorities to get the Marbles.
The document allowed Lord Elgin and his people to erect any scaffolding that would allow one to make drawings in gypsum or chalk and measure the remains of the building as well as excavate its foundation. These actions meant that if the British wished to take any pieces of stone along with the old inscriptions of the figures, they would face no opposition. The approval of the removal of the Marbles is further proven by a second firman that was needed for shipping the Marbles. The firman was secured by Sir Robert Adair and allowed the embarkation of all the antiquities collected by Elgin.
These actions show that Lord Elgin was reasonably concerned for the safety of the Marbles. Indeed the structure was eventually damaged by a Venetian attack on Athens. When the Marbles got to Britain, they were quite attractive, and despite their visibly poor states, the House of Commons gave $35,000 in exchange for them. This acquisition further showed that Britain legally purchased the Marbles.
In this light, it is apparent that the entire process of the acquisition of the Marbles from Athens was within the legal process. Lord Elgin, concerned for the safety of the sculptures, sought the British to acquire them. There is evidential paperwork that proves the actions by Lord Elgin. The embarkation of the marble sculptures to London was also legalized. Eventually, the House of Commons approved the purchase of the sculptures, and 35000 pounds were given for them. This made the Marble Sculptures legal properties of England despite the cultural presentation of Greece that they bear.
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