The Elgin Marbles, also known as the Parthenon Marbles, are a collection of classical Greek marble sculptures, inscriptions, and architectural elements from the Parthenon and other buildings on the Acropolis of Athens. They were originally part of the architectural and sculptural program of the Acropolis, constructed under the leadership of Pericles in the 5th century BC during the height of the Athenian Empire.
The marbles were taken from Athens to Britain by Thomas Bruce, 7th Earl of Elgin, who was the British Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire from 1799 to 1803. Elgin claimed he had obtained a firman (an official decree) from the Ottoman authorities permitting him to remove the sculptures, though the legitimacy of this document has been a point of contention. He intended to preserve them and showcase the greatness of Greek art in Britain, at a time when the Parthenon was suffering from neglect and damage due to war, fire, and the incorporation of the Acropolis into a fortress.
The marbles were shipped to Britain in 1806, but Elgin's project was marred by financial issues, legal disputes, and public scrutiny. In 1816, after years of controversy, Elgin sold the marbles to the British government for less than his total expenses. They were subsequently placed in the British Museum, where they remain today, despite ongoing disputes over their ownership.
The removal of the marbles has been a subject of significant debate:
As of now, the marbles are still housed in the British Museum, where they are displayed in the Duveen Gallery. The museum maintains that the marbles were legally acquired and that they provide a global audience access to these artifacts. However, the Greek government, supported by international public opinion, continues to press for their return, often highlighting cultural restitution and the moral imperative of reuniting the sculptures with their original context.