In 1991 the former keeper of Greek and Roman Antiquities at the British Museum wrote, in a confidential memo, that the campaign for return of the Elgin Marbles was likely to become fiercer than ever after the construction of a new Acropolis Museum.

That day has now arrived and the question has to be asked: Where does the campaign go from here?

Everyone agrees that the New Acropolis Museum is the best argument for the return of the Marbles.

But, unfortunately, apart from the late Melina Mercouri, Greek Governments (of all political persuasion) have been unwilling to directly engage the British Government and the British Museum over this important issue.

At the same time, the British Museum in recent years has tried to re-invent itself as a so-called universal museum and logical repository for the marbles.

They have even tried to suppress the context of the sculptures’ origin by claiming that the life of the sculptures as part of the story of the Parthenon is over and that they belong in London.

It is time for Greece to go on the offensive.

The Greek Government must step up its efforts for their return and must openly, directly and unequivocally announce to the world that the issue of return is a matter that goes to the heart of Anglo-Hellenic relations and that the time has arrived for the British to confront the issue of return of the Parthenon Marbles without relying on obfuscation, denial, sophistry or historical revisionism.

Australians for the Return of the Parthenon Sculptures calls on Britain and Greece at both government and museum levels to commence bilateral discussions and negotiations to reunite the known surviving sculptures in London and Athens through a broad and enlightened cultural cooperation, encompassing the possibility of long-term renewable loan arrangements, joint museum curatorship and stewardship, shared responsibilities and reciprocal loans of classical works to the British Museum.

If this does not work, then Greece should resort to litigation, just as Peru has done by commencing legal proceedings against Yale University to recover the Incan artefacts removed from Machu Picchu.

The New Acropolis Museum responds magnificently to its historical and archaeological setting and establishes a dialogue between the Parthenon and the sculptures that reaches across the centuries.

The campaign must be intensified for, until the Parthenon Marbles are reunited in the New Acropolis Museum, the Parthenon will continue to be haunted by Lord Byron’s lament, “Fair Greece Sad Relic”.

George Vardas
Research Officer
Australians for the Return of the Parthenon Sculptures
Sydney 2000