Premium Essay

Elgin Marbles

In:

Submitted By walt1123
Words 280
Pages 2
Walter C. Gwin Sr.
HUMN-B21

Elgin Marbles
I will take the position that the Elgin Marbles should remain in the British museum. Ancient artifacts are a means of understanding a culture’s value system, their beliefs and their worldview. It is important that these artifacts be preserved as much as possible. The Parthenon is “the greatest of all Greek temples. It was built in the old Doric order, even though it was built in the middle of the classical age when the Ionic style was coming into vogue” (Babcock, p82). The Parthenon had stood for over 2500 years and was well preserved. It was built as a gift to Athena the goddess of Athens. It was their way of showing their appreciation to Athena for her help in defeating the Persians. Lord Elgin removed the relics from the temple as a way of preserving them. After all they have been described as being among the greatest of all Greek art. After the battle between the Turks and the Venetians the inside of the Parthenon had been blown out and “the residents helped themselves to the ancient marble and used it for private building material” (Babcock, p82). It is clear that if the sculptures had not been removed to Brittan they probably would have perished by now through natural elements or vandalism. The artifacts helps to culturally link Greece with other great civilizations as wells display the contributions that ancient Greece has made in helping in the development of other cultural achievements in Rome, Europe and Asia, and other parts of the world.

Babcock, M. A. (2012, p.82). The Story of Western Culture (2nd ed.). HPS Publishing.
(Words

Similar Documents

Free Essay

Elgin Marbles

...2014 The Elgin Marbles: Fact or Feeling? “In a confrontation between Greece and Britain over the marbles, Greece is clearly the sentimental favorite.” – John Henry Merryman “The Elgin Marbles.” “The Parthenon Marbles.” “The Marbles.” Regardless of their description, these works of art are inarguably controversial. The debate surrounding the marbles is heated and far from reaching conclusion. Today, the controversy takes the shape of public protests, press releases from public figures, web-campaigns, and popular media coverage. Why is it that so many in the past have cared, and so many in the future likely will care, about the marbles? Perhaps they offer insight into the human condition, providing us with a global and cultural identity. Or maybe we simply enjoy the aesthetic appeal. Yet the reasoning behind a global interest in the marbles is not what lies at the heart of the controversy. The real issue is ownership. And allowing arguments based on national sentiment rather than legality and preservation to dictate the fate of the Elgin Marbles is irresponsible and, to some degree, disrespectful. Before a meaningful exploration of ownership can be pursued further, critical details regarding the actual acquisition of artifacts must be examined. First of all, Thomas Bruce (more commonly known as the Seventh Earl of Elgin, or Lord Elgin), and his crew brought back to Britain 247 feet of the 524 foot long Parthenon frieze. In addition to the frieze, Lord Elgin acquired 15...

Words: 1431 - Pages: 6

Free Essay

Elgin Marbles

...location of the Elgin Marbles has caused controversy for hundreds of years. People cannot decide whether the Marbles should remain in Britain or be returned back to Greece where they originated from. What I believe is that the Marbles should be returned to Greece for many reasons. The first reason is that it is very possible that Lord Elgin may not have acquired the permission required to obtain the Marbles. This means that they could have been illegally taken from Greece, and really don’t belong in Britain to begin with. It very well may have been legal, but what scientists and researchers are unable to find is the original Italian firman that was presented to the committee in order to get permission to get the Marbles. If this document was never in existence, than it would be illegal and therefore not right for the British to have them. The second reason is that if the Marbles were to be returned to Athens, than they would be taken care of much better, and damaged much less. The fact and the matter is that the Marbles have suffered considerable damage in the British Museum. If they were to be returned to Athens, then they would be looken after more suitably, and therefore kept in much better condition. The third reason is quite self-explanatory. The reason they belong in Athens is because they are Greecer’s elgin marbles. They were made in Greece for Greece and are more suitable there, than in Britain. Because of all of these reasons, I believe that the Elgin Marbles, should not...

Words: 278 - Pages: 2

Free Essay

Elgin Marbles

...EG362 April 20 2012 The “Elgin Marbles” Many consider the Pantheon sculptures known as the “Elgin Marbles” to be the greatest pieces of art still in existence. Many people from different countries around the globe understand how valuable they are as pieces of history. Many people from different countries around the globe believe they were stolen. The tail of the “Elgin Marbles” as we know them today begins with Thomas Bruce, the 7th Earl of Elgin who was the British Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire during the early 19th century. From 1801 - 1804, Ambassador Bruce hired men to take down the monuments of the Acropolis and shipped them to London. These monuments included pediment figures, friezes, metopes and parts of columns from the Parthenon. All of the pieces removed total over half of all the surviving sculptures from the Acropolis. After falling on financial difficulties and feeling pressure from art and political societies, Thomas Bruce decided to sell his collection to the British Government. The British Government had been debating the issue for some time due to the questionable methods used in the acquisition of the artifacts. Even with heavy resistance from the public and from the people of Greece, British Parliament decided the collection should be bought at a price of £35,000.00, and that the artifacts be displayed to the public at the British Museum. Benfield Page 2 For over two hundred years Scholars, and art lovers have seriously disputed the claim that...

Words: 801 - Pages: 4

Free Essay

Essay on the Elgin Marbles

...qwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmrtyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmrtyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmrtyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmrtyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwer...

Words: 516 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Elgin Marble Debate Essay

...One of the major issues in the debate is the legality of the Elgin excavation in Greece. It has been stated, “the Elgin Marbles controversy centers on the question of whether or not Lord Elgin had permission to remove the marbles. Specifically, the analysis concerns whether to Ottomans had to right to give Lord Elgin permission to remove the marbles…” . On one side there are authors like John Merryman arguing that the Marbles rightfully belong in London; the other side is the British Committee for the Reunification of the Parthenon Marbles, demanding their repatriation back to Greece. The people in support of the Repatriation pull emotional heartstrings, and Merryman admits that if this were a moral and emotional debate the Marbles would...

Words: 2391 - Pages: 10

Free Essay

The Elgin Marbles / Parthenon Sculptures

...The Elgin Marbles / Parthenon Sculptures I read two articles on the internet that provided some very interesting points in regards to the “Elgin Marble” which are better known as the “Parthenon Marbles.” Between 1801 – 1805, Thomas Bruce, Seventh Lord Elgin, procured the marble art and took them to Britain. Lord Elgin’s original intentions were to obtain some sketches and plaster casts made of the great sculptures and reliefs on the Parthenon and other nearby ruins. At the time Greece was under Ottoman rule. When Lord Elgin obtained his permit for his request, he was given access to take whatever he desired. It was further ordered that Lord Elgin and his agents were not to be hindered from taking away any pieces of stone with inscriptions and figures. This is equivalent to today’s political give and take. For many years, the Ottomans were thankful to Britain for assisting with the Napoleon. Eventually, Greece won their independence from Ottoman rule in 1829 and called for the immediate return of the sculptures. Now, back to Lord Elgin: with his all-inclusive permit in hand; he and his little party began to take some of the most renowned symbols of the golden age of classical Greeks. Lord Elgin had allowed greed to manipulate his original mission. He took advantage of the situation to such a degree; many British people thought Elgin had committed acts of cultural vandalism. In 1816, he was forced to sell the sculptures to the British Government to alleviate...

Words: 486 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

The British Museum to Return Parthenon Marbles to Greece

...THE BRITISH MUSEUM TO RETURN PARTHENON MARBLES TO GREECE The Acropolis museum gives way for the Parthenon sculptures that are in Athens to be appreciated against ancient Greece’s backdrop. Museums are a valuable resource that provides an opportunity for the world to reexamine the past and the cultural activities associated with the history. The Parthenon sculptures are essential elements in the interconnectedness of the world and the political boundaries. The discussion has an argument on whether the British Museum should return the Parthenon (aka Elgin) Marbles to Greece. The Greek archaeology society was founded in 1830, and there in their first meeting, the president ordered the return of marbles. The people of Greece regard these artifacts as the symbols of their culture and their heritage. Historians also argue that the sculptures are an integral part of the temple structures that are still standing in Athens. The placement of the statues in London is unappealing to the Greeks since it is considered to be the biggest museum to tell us about the development in the ancient Greece. They are being used as significant features of the British identity yet they should be unified and viewed in a larger framework to present the Greek art in a chronological narrative (Fineberg, Amos & Lang, 1985). The British Museum was among the first museums used to enlighten society. The museum was considered beneficial to the public in the fact that it was used to expose the pieces of ancient...

Words: 1130 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Lord Elgin Marbles Should Remain In The British Museum

...Greek goddess Athena, a church of the Virgin Mary, and a Mosque. Naturally, this results in it being an important site from Greek history. Thus, in 1801-1802, when Lord Elgin came to the acropolis when Greece was under Ottoman rule, he removed sculptures from the acropolis and took them back to England, where they were called the “Elgin marbles.” In the recent past, there has been some dispute between Greece and England about his justifications in taking the marbles, and whether or not they should be sent back to Greece. After analyzing the two arguments, I argue that the Elgin marbles should remain in the British museum. The first reason these marbles should remain in London is because Lord Elgin was not sporadically taking things from the acropolis, but he did so under the full knowledge and authorities of the Ottoman Empire, who were at this time in control of Greece. Some may argue that the Ottomans didn’t have the right to give away artifacts of Greek history, but if they were the ruling power, who is to say they didn’t? The rulers decide what actions to take,...

Words: 867 - Pages: 4

Free Essay

Argument of the Parthenon Sculptures

...Sculptures The debate surrounding the ""Parthenon Marbles" has existed for quite some time now; the debate has created two opinions. There are those who believe Mr. Thomas Bruce, the seventh Earl of Elgin intentions where to rescues the sculptures from the certain destruction of the Turks who ruled Athens at the time. Then there are those who view his actions as disrespectful. It appears Elgin's intentions were dual in nature, him being a lover of art, seized the opportunity to help himself financially as well as an opportunity to gain a positive, (he had hoped), notoriety among his countrymen. The sculptures were first displayed in "London in 1807"(1). The two opinions took flight after a Scottish poet; by the name of Lord Byron condemned his efforts, which cause some to revisit the morality of it all. The Grecian government has persistently requested the sculptures be returned. The sculptures need to be returned to the Grecians. Firstly, as stated by, Jonathan Jones, "The sad truth is that in the British Museum, the Parthenon sculptures are not experienced at their best."(2) Although the sculptures offer insight to the Western world of its history, the Greek people have a moral right to have the symbols of their history on their soil for their people young and old to learn and to have a sense of national pride. Secondly, "It is believable that the Turkish authorities on sight were bribed. Owen Jarus stated, "Elgin never acquired the permission to remove the sculptural...

Words: 352 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Cultural Differences Between The Louvre And The Metropolitan Museum

...Cultural riches from ancient civilisations belong in the places they come from. Many museums no longer buy relics, although many like the Louvre or the Metropolitan Museum are still increasing and restoring their collections. Some museums are trying to return these artifacts to their rightful homes. “About 65% of the original sculptures from the Parthenon survive and are located in museums across Europe. The majority of the sculptures are divided between the Acropolis Museum in Athens and the British Museum in London (about 30% each), while important pieces are also held by other major European museums, including the Louvre and the Vatican.” Everyone has the right to define what the past means for us. Not everyone may have the same understanding...

Words: 281 - Pages: 2

Free Essay

Repatriation of Artefacts

...again’- now this really struck me as it showed me that this artifacts aren’t just something that are worth a lot of money, no, these are part of a country’s culture. These objects help to shape a country, give it a past and a background; it provides a standing ground for a country- why should we have the choice to deny these people and countries part of their national identity? What right do we have to do that? One of the most famous examples of an argument over repatriation of artifacts relates to the marble sculptures (the Elgin marbles) removed by the British in 1803 from the Parthenon. The fact is the Greeks had both legal and moral claims over these ancient artifacts. In the US antiquity that was exported and also excavated illegally is defined as stolen property. One can very easily argue that these marble statues are stolen property and they were seized by British explorers and have not been returned. However I find that the moral arguments for the return of these marbles far more effective as the Parthenon is now a thriving tourist attraction that teaches many about the culture and history of the ancient temple and world. By not having these statues one can argue once more about the incompleteness of the temple and therefore the culture and history. The temple both can and should be made whole again- therefore in this sense I believe that repatriation is an expression of justice. The other side’s main argument will be that by taking these objects and historical artifacts...

Words: 493 - Pages: 2

Free Essay

Count Solution

...Extra Counting Practice 1. A fair coin is tossed 10 times. (i) Find the probability of getting exactly three heads. (ii) Find the probability of getting 3 or fewer heads. SOLUTION: We set it up by counting how many things are in the sample space, then count how many ways of getting the three heads. For each of the 10 coin tosses, we have either a head (H) or a tail (T). Therefore, there are 210 strings in the sample space (and each is equally likely). To count how many ways we get exactly three heads, we might think about the number of ways of selecting three out of 10 slots- Those we will take to be the H, the rest will be T. This is 10 . Overall, 3 10 3 210 ≈ 0.117 From this, the solution to part (ii) will be: 10 10 10 10 + + + 3 2 1 0 210 ≈ 0.17 2. A class consists of 15 boys and 30 girls. Ten students are selected at random for a special committee. Find the probability that exactly three boys are selected. SOLUTION: First, how many “objects” are in the sample space? We are choosing 10 students from the 45, so: 45 . 10 Now we need three boys, and the number of ways of selecting them will be 15 3 . If we could not tell the girls apart, we’d be done- But of course we can choose them apart. Therefore, we also need to account for the number of ways we can put 7 girls on the committee, which is 30 . 7 Altogether: 15 3 30 7 45 10 ≈ 0.29 3. We will deal all the cards of a standard deck (52 cards) to 4 players (so...

Words: 1708 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

Afghanistan Marble Industry Critical Success Factor

...Afghanistan’s Marble Industry Critical Success Factors 2012 Online MBA Study Report By: Mohammad Aman Nawabi Navid Miakhel Mohammad Aziz Taher Elyas Ghiasi Contents Introduction ...................................................................................................................................................... 3 Literature review .............................................................................................................................................. 4 Methodology .................................................................................................................................................... 4 Marble in Afghanistan ...................................................................................................................................... 4 Production Process ........................................................................................................................................... 8 Marble & Onyx Production Process .............................................................................................................. 8 Cutting to Pieces ....................................................................................................................................... 8 Shape Cutting............................................................................................................................................ 8 Grinding and Rubbing .....................................

Words: 3076 - Pages: 13

Free Essay

Assignment

...Marble Cluster Strategy February 2006 CCCA OTF Confidential Information — Copyright © 2004 by OTF Group, Inc Afg Marble DGE 01-06 1 Agenda Introduction to the OTF Group & the Afghanistan Competitiveness Project Step 1: Situation Analysis Step 2: Setting Goals Step 3: Understanding Marble Buyers’ & Importers’ Needs Step 4: Articulate Afghan Marble Positioning Step 5: Develop Action Guidelines Afg Marble DGE 04-09-05 2 OTF Confidential Information — Copyright © 2004 by OTF Group, Inc 1 Who is The OTF Group? The OTF Group (OTF = On The Frontier) is a private sector consulting firm that provides cutting-edge solutions to help firms and industries in emerging markets confront the challenge of developing successful business strategies. Confidential Uganda Trade Statistics Analysis Fixed Investment as a Percentage of GDP Uganda’s Fixed Investment as a Percentage of GDP vs. Selected Nations, 1981-1995 Japan Korea, Rep. Tanzania United States Kenya Sudan Uganda Zair e 50% Tension Moral Purpose OTF Client List (Partial) World Bank Group 40% Percent of Nation’s GDP 30% 20% Leadership 10% 0% 1 981 1983 1985 1987 1989 1991 1993 1995 '89 '91 '93 Receptivity Note: Statistics for years not represented on the chart were not reported Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators, 1997 XCG-ACM-Uga nda- 4-2 0-98 -JR 4 Copyr ight © 1 998 M onito r Comp any, In c. — Confid ential — CAM ...

Words: 15273 - Pages: 62

Free Essay

Poop

... Em you saw her bathing on the roof C D G Em her beauty and the moonlight overthrew you G C D she tied you to her kitchen chair Em C she broke your throne and she cut your hair D Bm Em and from your lips you drew an Hallelujah C Em C G D/F# G Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah G Em baby I've been here before G Em i've seen this room and I've walked this floor C D G Em i used to live alone before I knew you G C D and I've seen your flag on the marble arch Em C and love is not a victory march D Bm Em it's a cold and it's a broken Hallelujah C Em C G D/F# G Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah G Em there was a time when you let me know G Em what's really going on below C D G Em but now you never show that to me do you?...

Words: 370 - Pages: 2