The issue of the return of the Parthenon Statues to Greece has been an element of tension between Athens and London for years. This issue is extremely important in terms of showing what kind of problems culture and art factors can create in interstate relations. Along with all these, the historical background needs to be examined to better understand the problem.
At the beginning of the 19th century, Lord Elgin, the British Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, removed about half of these statues in Athens from the ruins of the Parthenon under the supervision of the relevant authorities thanks to the edict he received. Thus, the sculptures were taken to England. In 1816, the ownership of the works passed into the hands of the British Museum in England.[1] Therefore, some of the Parthenon Sculptures are in the British Museum in England, while other parts are in Athens. In this context, the main goal of the Greek Government is to ensure that the remaining part of the statues is returned to Athens.
The first official request by Greece for the permanent return of all the Parthenon Sculptures in the collection of the British Museum to Athens was made in 1983. Although various negotiations have been held between the parties since that year, there are no current negotiations between the museum and the Greek Government during the current process.[2]
It is also useful to look at the stances of the two countries on the problem. Athens wants the return of the Parthenon Sculptures, saying that they are part of the Greek cultural heritage, while the British Government claims that the return of these sculptures depends on the decision of the British Museum. London states that the legal ownership of the works belongs to this museum.[3]
With all this, it is seen that Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who became the Prime Minister of Greece in 2019, attaches special importance to this problem. So much so that, during the Prime Ministership of Mitsotakis, Athens increased its contacts to ensure the return of the Parthenon Sculptures from London. The Greek Prime Minister has repeatedly called for the statues to be returned to Athens, even offering to lend some of his country’s other treasures to the British Museum.[4]
On the other hand, the fact that Mitsotakis raised this issue even at the United Nations (UN) General Assembly on September 27, 2022, shows the importance given to the issue by the Greek Government. From Mitsotakis’ words, “No matter how long it will take, the Parthenon sculptures will eventually be coming home.”[5] it can be predicted that this issue will continue to occupy the Athens-London line. Moreover, these statements are also very important for Greece to show its determination.
On the other hand, despite the initiatives of Greece, it should not be expected that the Parthenon Sculptures will be returned. The adoption of such a decision may create a precedent. In such a situation, various countries may also be encouraged to return works belonging to other countries exhibited at the British Museum. Therefore, this is a risk that the British Government cannot afford. Considering that the British Museum is one of the few museums in the world, it is quite difficult to say that London can consent to the removal of the Parthenon Sculptures from the country.
Despite all this, it cannot be said that Mitsotakis has taken a step back. In an interview with The Times newspaper in October 2022, the Greek Prime Minister stated that the time for the return of the Parthenon Sculptures to the country is rapidly approaching and stated that he will continue to keep this issue on the agenda. Moreover, Mitsotakis suggested that this would be a great gesture at a time when Britain was cornered in terms of its overall image after the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II.[6]
Finally, the Greek Prime Minister, during his visit to London on November 28, 2022, brought the issue between the two countries back to the agenda. Mitsotakis stated that there has been progressing in the negotiations with London to reunite the Parthenon Sculptures and suggested that the return of the works to Athens could be a win-win solution for the parties.[7]
On the other hand, on December 5, 2022, the British Government made a statement about the Parthenon Sculptures. The office of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has stated that the British Museum is legally “prohibited” from returning the Parthenon Sculptures to Greece.[8] Therefore, the London administration does not want the British Museum to take any initiative in the face of this problem.
As can be seen, the dispute between the two countries over the Parthenon Sculptures is important in terms of showing the importance attributed by the states to the heritage of civilization. In this context, there may be problems in inter-state relations not only around political problems but also in issues such as culture and art. The dispute over the Parthenon Sculptures is one of the most beautiful examples of this. The disagreement over the Parthenon Statues is one of the best examples of this.
Consequently, the possibility of a positive decision on behalf of Athens on the return of the Parthenon Statues in the British Museum to Greece is extremely slim. The British Government thinks that such a decision may have a precedent. Therefore, a possible concession to Athens may raise the issue of the return of the works in the British Museum by other countries to the UK. Therefore, it can be said that the UK would not desire such a situation in any way.
[1] “The Parthenon Sculptures”, British Museum, https://www.britishmuseum.org/about-us/british-museum-story/contested-objects-collection/parthenon-sculptures, (Date of Accession: 08.12.2022).
[2] Ibid.
[3] “Return of Parthenon marbles is Up to British Museum, Says No 10”, The Guardian, https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2021/nov/16/return-of-parthenon-marbles-is-up-to-british-museum-says-no-10, (Date of Accession: 08.12.2022).
[4] “British Museum Calls for ‘Parthenon Partnership’ with Greece Over Marbles”, The Guardian, https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2022/jul/31/british-museum-calls-for-parthenon-partnership-greece-marbles, (Date of Accession: 08.12.2022).
[5] “Greek PM References Parthenon Sculptures at the UN”, Greek City Times, https://greekcitytimes.com/2022/09/27/greek-pm-references-parthenon-sculptures-at-the-un/, (Date of Accession: 08.12.2022).
[6] “Return of Parthenon Sculptures Fast Approaching: Greek PM”, Greek City Times, https://greekcitytimes.com/2022/10/03/return-of-parthenon-sculptures-fast-approaching-greek-pm/, (Date of Accession: 08.12.2022).
[7] “Greece PM Senses ‘Momentum’ in ‘Elgin Marbles’ Talks with Britain”, Reuters, https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/greece-pm-senses-momentum-elgin-marbles-talks-with-britain-2022-11-28/, (Date of Accession: 08.12.2022).
[8] “UK Govt Issues Warning on Parthenon Marbles”, RT, https://www.rt.com/news/567719-parthenon-marbles-uk-greece-return/, (Date of Accession: 08.12.2022).
