Britain Destroys Elgin Marbles Cleaning

Arguments for keeping the elgin marbles in britain.

Britain destroys elgin marbles cleaning.

And it has said an attempt to cover up the damage to the marbles in the 1930s was a scandal. Greece yesterday disclosed dramatic new evidence of the irreparable damage allegedly inflicted on the priceless elgin marbles during the british museum s 183 year stewardship of them. If britain has to give these sculptures back the argument goes it will throw into doubt the fate of not only other artefacts kept at the british museum but also. The british museum has admitted that the controversial elgin marbles were damaged by heavy handed cleaning 60 years ago.

While the debate rages on over where the elgin marbles should be there is another less talked about scandal that haunts the famous sculptures. According to elgin s statement to the parliamentary committee which examined the marbles acquisition payment of the 5 guineas a day went on from august 1800 to april 1801 10. Cleaning of the parthenon marbles was undertaken over a period of fifteen months from 1938 to 1939 when museum workmen without official authorisation used copper tools to remove what they believed was dirt but was in reality the honey coloured patina of the historical surface. The most popular argument for keeping the sculptures in britain is the argument that sending them back would set a bad precedent.

Elgin took the marbles between 1801 and 1805 and britain s argument has long been that the move was legal because he asked for permission from the turks whose empire ruled greece at the time. What really happened however and what bull illuminates in gripping almost hallucinatory detail with every venusian guise and every herculean labour carefully recounted and re valued was a much sneakier march of progress. They also say that he saved the sculptures from likely damage and deterioration during the greek turk conflict. The marbles which are around 2 430 years old were brought to britain by lord elgin in 1801.