The Elgin Marble Debate

Global fame local claim by e yalouri berg 2001 links.

The elgin marble debate.

In 1810 elgin published a defence of his actions but the subject remained controversial. Works cited kimmelman michael. Curently the elgin marbles constitute one of the most important collections of the british museum. Lord elgin and the marbles.

15 of the 92 original metopes from the parthenon representing the fight between the centaurs and the lapiths. These objects are a significant part of athenian and greek history a culture founded on nationalistic pride. A public debate in parliament followed elgin s publication and parliament again exonerated elgin s actions eventually deciding to purchase the marbles for the british nation in 1816 by a vote of 82 30. The controversial history of the parthenon sculptures by w st clair oxford 1998 the acropolis.

Crossing france on his homeward journey to london he was impris oned and remained in. Elgin marble argument in a new light the new york times june 2009. We had this debate after seeing the marbles in the british museum so there is not much introduction to what they are here. After filling in the sheet we stood up and ranged ourselves along the lenght of the classroom to represent our positions and moved ourselves around as we listened to the debate.

The elgin marbles refer to a collection of ancient greek sculptures and architectural details dating back to the fifth century bc which are currently kept in the british museum london. The temple was the centrepiece of an ambitious building programme on the acropolis of athens the british museum explains in 1687 the temple which had stood for about 2 000 years was largely destroyed during a war between venice and the ottoman. Elgin had managed to keep the marbles from the french but the same could not be said about his own person. A marble frieze temple aka a doric temple on the athenian acropolis greece built in 447 432 bc and dedicated to the goddess athena.