George Clooney calling for repatriation of Parthenon Marbles

[Dodgypainting]

And thinks because he made the film ‘Monument Men’ he is qualified to speak on this? Is it one more bandwagon he wants to jump on along with trying to sort out Sudan, the Environment, the Syrian refugee crisis and BLM. Why does he feel qualified to step into some of the most sensitive situations on the planet as a white guy with no expertise in the complex and sensitive issues he speaks out on? It’s ok to raise awareness but he should leave his wife to act on behalf of the Greek government re The Marbles and the plight of the Yazidis as she actually knows what she’s talking about. Where is the fear of doing more harm then good whenever these celebs speak out on some of their pet projects?

The Elgin Marbles are the poster-child item for all plundered countries with items “just resting in the account” of the British Museum.

It knows that once a precedent is set, it will be difficult to refuse other requests for repatriation.

The British Museum should in all honesty just look like a bigger version of the Irish National Museum with Roman on the side. Lots of celts, Vikings, normans etc. Is there a war museum? There’s lots of palaces to tell the Monarchical history.

Unquestionably the Marbles ought to be returned. They belong to Greece.

@dreamingbohemian

The Benin bronzes are problematic and probably should be returned.

But, while 2 wrongs don't make a right, Benin made much of their wealth by capturing and selling slaves.

[quote VeniVidiWeeWee]@dreamingbohemian

The Benin bronzes are problematic and probably should be returned.

But, while 2 wrongs don't make a right, Benin made much of their wealth by capturing and selling slaves.[/quote]
If two wrongs don't make a right, why mention it? Please.

I'm not sure Britain (the most dominant slave trading nation) and the British Museum (founded with money and collections from the slave trade) want to go down this road.

I like George Clooney and i adore his wife. I was thinking earlier, when reading about Meghan and Harry, if only Harry had found someone like Amal to marry.

I think it is ok for famous people to take up a cause. Better than just wasting their money on a flashy lifestyle.

The marbles should be returned, I think.

if only Harry had found someone like Amal to marry.
Someone like Amal wouldn't be interested in someone like Harry, would they?

And the English return Stonehenge to Wales from where it came from.

I thought the upshot of recent findings was that some Welsh moved to England and brought their own stones with them. So they're probably ok.

Colonel called them the "err Pantheon marbles*

Even the BM refers to them as the Parthenon Marbles these days, so many in this thread using the name of the well person who brought them home with him.

I don't know if they are right or not. I think there is validity on both sides of the argument - particularly that 6m people see them in the U.K. v 1.5m in Greece. I think if they were being put back into the building they originated from I would be pro returning them. But they are just going from one museum to a less popular one. There are also parts of the marble all over the world. Also how do you distinguish between this artefact and many more in museums around the globe and if we remove all foreign artefacts museums will become very uninspirational. It is visiting the British museum as a child which got me really interested in ancient history. I have now visited many of these places numerous times which helps the modern population as a result of the tourist dollar.

sides of the argument - particularly that 6m people see them in the U.K. v 1.5m in Greece. I think if they were being put back into the building they originated from I would be pro returning them. But they are just going from one museum to a less popular one.

It would be completely insane to reinstall them on the Parthenon, exposed to the elements and high up. It's common practice to replace this type of architectural artwork with a replica and display the original in a museum.

The Acropolis museum is massively popular, it is purpose built for displaying the artefacts from the site, within view of it. People are going there for one purpose, whereas visitors to the BM may or may not look at the marbles or just briefly look and then move on to other eras and locations.
Many of the dinosaurs in natural history museums are replicas, I think something like the marbles replicas would serve the purpose. This doesn't work so well for other types of artefact but hard items which can be cast (or maybe 3d printed nowadays) it can.

@gottakeeponmovin

I don't know if they are right or not. I think there is validity on both sides of the argument - particularly that 6m people see them in the U.K. v 1.5m in Greece. I think if they were being put back into the building they originated from I would be pro returning them. But they are just going from one museum to a less popular one. There are also parts of the marble all over the world. Also how do you distinguish between this artefact and many more in museums around the globe and if we remove all foreign artefacts museums will become very uninspirational. It is visiting the British museum as a child which got me really interested in ancient history. I have now visited many of these places numerous times which helps the modern population as a result of the tourist dollar.

See there's a huge pitfall here for mw. It seems like you don't think Greek children should be able to be inspired by the marbles? Why should British children get priority for something that doesn't even come from their country? And if your museum is a little more boring due to losing foreign artefacts to their original creators lands, you can always do what the Greeks did and have facsimiles surely. If it's good enough for them it should be good enough for British people.

i think if they were being put back into the building they originated from I would be pro returning them. But they are just going from one museum to a less popular one.

But this other museum ...

Is a stones throw from the original site, there’s a brilliant view of the ruins from the main deck and the whole experience comes together beautifully

Already houses the rest of the collection.

I’ve visited both and no one could argue that the dusty BM exhibit is a better platform for them. It just all sounds like excuse making.

@TheKeatingFive

He's right. It's entirely unjustified to keep them.

One assumes that you would expect other countries who have artefacts to return them, eg Germany will dismantle the Pergamon museum? One of the funniest things I recall was being at the Parthenon in Athens and the Greek tour guide was spouting the usual anti-British bile re the Marbles. Someone asked what became of the rest of the Marbles that were left behind, Oh, many were smashed by the Turks and the rest disintegrated in the toxic Athens air! She couldn't understand why I laughed.

I don't think "our ancestors made it and we want it back so you must give it" is a very good argument by itself. It ignores the right of people to buy property and sell or gift it to who they choose.

I do think that if items were taken in a way that would have been wrong for the time, that's different, but it's fora thosewho want them back to prove. On the face of it, the British Museum's position that they were legally purchased is completely reasonable and it's for the Greeks to prove otherwise.

I also don't think we should listen to slebs. Their opinions are no better than yours or mine and there's therefore no reason why they should be widely discussed.

Societies of the past had philosophers, luminaries, sages and other professional thinking persons. We have slebs. Great.