once upon a time the Parthenon looked like this a temple to the goddess Athena
like this a temple to the goddess Athena
like this a temple to the goddess Athena it was a symbol of culture and
it was a symbol of culture and
it was a symbol of culture and refinement a beautifully sculpted marble
refinement a beautifully sculpted marble
refinement a beautifully sculpted marble frieze band at the Parthenon above the
frieze band at the Parthenon above the
frieze band at the Parthenon above the columns and so this temple stood for
columns and so this temple stood for
columns and so this temple stood for 2,000 years but in 1687 it was blown up
2,000 years but in 1687 it was blown up
2,000 years but in 1687 it was blown up during a war between Venice and the
during a war between Venice and the
during a war between Venice and the Ottoman Empire which was then occupying
Ottoman Empire which was then occupying
Ottoman Empire which was then occupying Greece the Parthenon lay in ruins a
century later Lord Elgin the British
century later Lord Elgin the British ambassador to the Ottoman Empire
ambassador to the Ottoman Empire
ambassador to the Ottoman Empire received what he construed as permission
received what he construed as permission
received what he construed as permission to remove the marble friezes and take
to remove the marble friezes and take
to remove the marble friezes and take them home to England his partisans say
them home to England his partisans say
them home to England his partisans say he saved these stunning artworks from
he saved these stunning artworks from
he saved these stunning artworks from vandals who were pulling them apart
vandals who were pulling them apart
vandals who were pulling them apart without him they say the marbles
without him they say the marbles
without him they say the marbles wouldn’t exist but to his detractors
wouldn’t exist but to his detractors
wouldn’t exist but to his detractors Lord Elgin himself was the Vandal who
Lord Elgin himself was the Vandal who
Lord Elgin himself was the Vandal who cut up the frieze into sections
cut up the frieze into sections
cut up the frieze into sections so they could be shipped more easily to
so they could be shipped more easily to
so they could be shipped more easily to England we’ll have a piece in London and
England we’ll have a piece in London and
England we’ll have a piece in London and we have other fragments from the same
we have other fragments from the same
we have other fragments from the same piece let’s say the heads of the figures
piece let’s say the heads of the figures
piece let’s say the heads of the figures in Athens Dimitrios Pender Meli’s heads
in Athens Dimitrios Pender Meli’s heads
in Athens Dimitrios Pender Meli’s heads the organization that’s building
the organization that’s building
the organization that’s building Greece’s new acropolis museum and he
Greece’s new acropolis museum and he
Greece’s new acropolis museum and he wants the marbles back permanently they
wants the marbles back permanently they
wants the marbles back permanently they symbolize the highest moment of
symbolize the highest moment of
symbolize the highest moment of classical art in ancient Greece they
classical art in ancient Greece they
classical art in ancient Greece they belong to the pattern itself but the
belong to the pattern itself but the
belong to the pattern itself but the British Museum is equally emphatic this
British Museum is equally emphatic this
British Museum is equally emphatic this is not going to happen you can’t lend
is not going to happen you can’t lend
is not going to happen you can’t lend something to a sort of government or
something to a sort of government or
something to a sort of government or country that doesn’t recognize your
country that doesn’t recognize your
country that doesn’t recognize your ownership of them as far as the British
ownership of them as far as the British
ownership of them as far as the British Museum is concerned it has legal title
Museum is concerned it has legal title
Museum is concerned it has legal title to the marbles moreover it has a mission
to the marbles moreover it has a mission
to the marbles moreover it has a mission as a museum of all world cultures what
as a museum of all world cultures what
as a museum of all world cultures what the British Museum can almost uniquely
the British Museum can almost uniquely
the British Museum can almost uniquely provide is not
provide is not
provide is not you to see the Parthenon sculptures in
you to see the Parthenon sculptures in
you to see the Parthenon sculptures in context in context with civilizations
context in context with civilizations
context in context with civilizations that that flourished and around the time
that that flourished and around the time
that that flourished and around the time of ancient Greece you can also uniquely
of ancient Greece you can also uniquely
of ancient Greece you can also uniquely see the huge inspiration that these
see the huge inspiration that these
see the huge inspiration that these objects have had on subsequent world
objects have had on subsequent world
objects have had on subsequent world cultures and how they have become now
cultures and how they have become now
cultures and how they have become now masterpieces of art and and masterpieces
masterpieces of art and and masterpieces
masterpieces of art and and masterpieces of Greek civilization but professor
of Greek civilization but professor
of Greek civilization but professor pandered melis isn’t buying that
pandered melis isn’t buying that
pandered melis isn’t buying that argument the story he wants to tell is
argument the story he wants to tell is
argument the story he wants to tell is depicted in the frieze itself which
depicted in the frieze itself which
depicted in the frieze itself which shows an important Athenian religious
shows an important Athenian religious
shows an important Athenian religious procession but only about 50% of the
procession but only about 50% of the
procession but only about 50% of the original frieze survives today and of
original frieze survives today and of
original frieze survives today and of that 50% about half are in London and
that 50% about half are in London and
that 50% about half are in London and the other half are in Athens he believes
the other half are in Athens he believes
the other half are in Athens he believes all the surviving pieces should be
all the surviving pieces should be
all the surviving pieces should be exhibited together because seen together
exhibited together because seen together
exhibited together because seen together they have a narrative it’s not correct
they have a narrative it’s not correct
they have a narrative it’s not correct for peace so important to have fragments
for peace so important to have fragments
for peace so important to have fragments in different places and not all the
in different places and not all the
in different places and not all the originals – together next to the
originals – together next to the
originals – together next to the original building and the British public
original building and the British public
original building and the British public seems to agree with him poll after poll
seems to agree with him poll after poll
seems to agree with him poll after poll shows that the people of Britain support
shows that the people of Britain support
shows that the people of Britain support the idea of returning the marbles to
the idea of returning the marbles to
the idea of returning the marbles to Greece so with the British Museum then
Greece so with the British Museum then
Greece so with the British Museum then go against the voice of the British
go against the voice of the British
go against the voice of the British people well I think we need to have we’d
people well I think we need to have we’d
people well I think we need to have we’d have to look in a little bit more detail
have to look in a little bit more detail
have to look in a little bit more detail in terms of those polls and I think it’s
in terms of those polls and I think it’s
in terms of those polls and I think it’s worth saying that that all of them are
worth saying that that all of them are
worth saying that that all of them are sending out you know some years old
sending out you know some years old
sending out you know some years old people think it’s a simple decision yes
people think it’s a simple decision yes
people think it’s a simple decision yes or no they stay or they go and that’s it
or no they stay or they go and that’s it
or no they stay or they go and that’s it and it isn’t it’s a very very very
and it isn’t it’s a very very very
and it isn’t it’s a very very very complicated situation for now professor
complicated situation for now professor
complicated situation for now professor pandit malleus intends to fill in the
pandit malleus intends to fill in the
pandit malleus intends to fill in the gaps of histories with copies of the
gaps of histories with copies of the
gaps of histories with copies of the British Museum’s freeze so the visitors
British Museum’s freeze so the visitors
British Museum’s freeze so the visitors can have a more complete vision of the
can have a more complete vision of the
can have a more complete vision of the procession that’s depicted we’ll paint
procession that’s depicted we’ll paint
procession that’s depicted we’ll paint the copies with special color to make
the copies with special color to make
the copies with special color to make differentiation of course our target is
differentiation of course our target is
differentiation of course our target is that we replace one day the copies with
that we replace one day the copies with
that we replace one day the copies with the originals and he’s hopeful they can
the originals and he’s hopeful they can
the originals and he’s hopeful they can work something out on the base of an
work something out on the base of an
work something out on the base of an exchange of a friendly cooperation will
exchange of a friendly cooperation will
exchange of a friendly cooperation will be possible to get back the maps of the
be possible to get back the maps of the
be possible to get back the maps of the pattern the trustees you know we have a
pattern the trustees you know we have a
pattern the trustees you know we have a very generous loans policy there is an
very generous loans policy there is an
very generous loans policy there is an there would be no reason why that
there would be no reason why that
there would be no reason why that discussion couldn’t take place and
discussion couldn’t take place and
discussion couldn’t take place and perhaps this great symbol of
perhaps this great symbol of
perhaps this great symbol of civilization will ultimately inspire a
civilization will ultimately inspire a
civilization will ultimately inspire a solution that benefits everyone
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