“Vantage | What Parthenon Marbles, Kohinoor say about British legacy of loot”, First Post, November 29, 2023:
“A recent diplomatic dispute between the United Kingdom and Greece has intensified shedding light on Britain’s contentious history of cultural appropriation. The discord centres around the extensive looting of priceless artefacts from various parts of the world, which are currently housed in the British Museum in London. The focus of the tension, however, lies in Greece’s persistent efforts to reclaim the renowned Parthenon Marbles, a collection of 2,500-year-old marble sculptures that were pilfered in the early 1800s.
Among the stolen treasures, the Parthenon Marbles hold a special place in the ongoing diplomatic dispute. Carved in ancient Greece, these 2,500-year-old marble sculptures originally adorned the Acropolis of Athens. However, in the early 1800s, Thomas Bruce, the Earl of Elgin, took them and they are now famously known as the Elgin Marbles in Britain, showcasing a somewhat boastful acknowledgement of the grand robbery.
For years, Greece has been fervently seeking the return of the Parthenon Marbles, symbolising a key aspect of its cultural heritage. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has consistently advocated for the reunification of these marbles, drawing parallels to the absurdity of splitting the pieces, akin to dividing the Mona Lisa. Despite Greece’s diplomatic efforts, a 1963 law prohibits the British Museum from willingly returning any stolen artefacts…..”
