Offering an incisive examination into aspects of the controversy regarding ownership of the marble sculptures infamously removed from the Parthenon by Lord Elgin in the early nineteenth century, this volume challenges long-held scholarly assumptions frequently made in support of the return of the artworks to Athens. With the fate of the Parthenon’s marbles thrust into the spotlight of international media attention over recent years as high-level talks have been underway in an effort to resolve the long-running dispute, this timely book exposes some of the historical inaccuracies and misleading information frequently passed off to academics, students and the general public in an effort to bolster support for the repatriation of the marbles to Greece. It is a volume that offers a fresh perspective on what has long been regarded as the touchstone case for disputes concerning contested cultural heritage.
Offering an incisive examination into aspects of the controversy regarding ownership of the marble sculptures infamously removed from the Parthenon by Lord Elgin in the early nineteenth century, this volume challenges long-held scholarly assumptions frequently made in support of the return of the artworks to Athens.
Acknowledgements Contents Illustrations Preface Introduction
1. The
Elgin Marbles, Acropolis Marbles and Parthenon Marbles: Tabulating
Troublesome Terminologies
2. Marbles of the Mosque
3. The Parthenon and the
Logo of UNESCO
4. How Not to Go About Building a Museum: Political
Incompetency and a Torturous Construction Project
5. One of Our Caryatids is
Missing: Repatriation of the Absent Marble Maiden Conclusion Index
James Beresford is currently a Tutor of History, Genealogy and Archaeology within the department of Lifelong Learning at Aberystwyth University, United Kingdom. He has also taught in Japan, the United Arab Emirates and Pakistan, as well as at various institutions within Britain. He is the author of The Ancient Sailing Season (2013), and was previously an editor of Minerva: The International Review of Ancient Art and Archaeology. Before recently returning to Wales, he lived for several years in Greece. He holds masters and doctoral degrees in Archaeology from the University of Oxford, Keble College.
