The Parthenon is one of the most famous structures of ancient Greece. But the temple on the Acropolis is incomplete: Parts of the frieze have been in the possession of the British Museum in London since the 19th century. Athens speaks of theft and demands the immediate handover of the exhibits.
The Greek Ministry of Culture has rejected proposals for a solution whereby parts of the frieze of the Parthenon Temple could be loaned to Athens from the British Museum in London on permanent basis. The ministry said the parts of the frieze on display in London did not belong to the museum there. "You are the product of a theft."
British media had previously reported on ongoing negotiations between the two countries on cultural assets. In return, it is planned that Greece will lend other ancient art treasures to Great Britain. With this solution, however, the British Museum would retain ownership of the Parthenon frieze. With a loan, Athens would have recognized ownership, which is why the proposal is not a solution, experts said on Greek radio.
Athens has been demanding the return of all parts of the frieze in the British Museum for decades. Instead, other ancient objects and collections from ancient Greece could be exhibited in London for a limited time, it is said. The British have so far refused to do so.
In 2009, a new museum was specially built below the Acropolis in the Greek capital. There the real parts of the frieze are displayed together with plaster replicas of the missing elements. The Parthenon ("Virgin's Chamber") is one of the most famous surviving monuments of ancient Greece. At the beginning of the 19th century, the British ambassador Lord Elgin had the best preserved parts (the so-called "Elgin Marbles") of the Parthenon dismantled and brought to England. He sold them to the British Museum in 1816. 56 of the 96 panels of the frieze have been there ever since.
