Greece accepts ancient art as the British Museum under pressure

The British Museum has been under pressure to return a collection of sculptures that were taken from the Acropolis more than 200 years ago, and Greece has welcomed the return of ancient treasures from that location. Greece's ATHENS — The British Museum has been under pressure to restore a collection of sculptures that were taken from the historic site in Athens more than 200 years ago, and Greece on Friday hailed the return of ancient relics from the Acropolis, advancing the cause. Friday's ceremony saw the return of three sculptural elements from the Vatican Museums that represented a horse and two male heads from the Parthenon temple on the Acropolis. The ceremony was presided over by Culture Minister Lina Mendoni. Efforts like this, according to Mendoni, "show the way, how the Parthenon's fragments might be reconnected, repairing the wounds created by savage hands so many years ago." This brings us to the legitimate and moral demand of the Greek people as a whole, as well as that of this administration and its prime minister, for the complete restitution of all Parthenon sculptures. The pieces will be included in the Acropolis Museum's collection, which was added to in 2009. The museum is located at the base of the historic structure in the heart of Athens. Mendoni stated that if the marbles were returned, Greece would be happy to donate the British Museum ancient Greek objects for display in order to "fill the gap." Greece views the statues' presence as the result of theft, hence it is unable to recognize the British Museum's custody and ownership, according to the spokesperson. 

The Vatican referred to the return as an ecumenical "gift" to the Greek Orthodox Church, but the action increased pressure on the London museum to settle with Greece as a result of a 40-year-old campaign. "This action by Pope Francis is significant in history and is beneficial on all levels... Archbishop Ieronymos II, the head of the Greek Orthodox Church, said, "We hope it sets an example for others. While defenders of the British Museum contend that their return could jeopardize museum collections and global cultural variety, Greece contends that the Parthenon sculptures constitute the foundation of its historic legacy. The Parthenon sculptures, which date from the fifth century BC, were removed by British diplomat Lord Elgin in the early 19th century before Greece gained independence from the Ottoman Empire. Greek Culture Ministry representatives have downplayed statements made by British Museum head George Osborne last month that the U.K. and Greece were negotiating a deal to exhibit the Parthenon Marbles in both London and Athens. The ancient Greek goddess Artemis' foot is depicted in another marble sculpture part from the Parthenon temple that was brought back to Athens from a museum in Palermo, Sicily, last year. The return of the three shards from the Vatican was considered during a visit by Pope Francis to Athens in 2021, according to Bishop Brian Farrell, a Vatican secretary for fostering Christian unity, who led the visiting party to Athens. The Parthenon fragments, which had been kept in the Vatican Museums for more than two centuries, were given as a cultural and social act of friendship and support for the Greek people, according to Farrell. He continued, "We guarantee you of our profound satisfaction at realizing your reasonable need to have the fragments at home in their place of origin. 

By Covenant