The greeks have refused to lend the french an ancient sculpture for an exhibition because they say it is too fragile to be moved from athens.
Are the greek marbles fragile.
The elgin marbles or parthenon marbles the us this month waded into the long running row about the 2500 year old elgin marbles a collection of friezes and sculptures on show at the british museum.
Returning the parthenon sculptures greece is requesting only the return of sculptures from this particular building would not set a precedent for other restitution claims because of the distinctively universal value of the parthenon.
But ownership is not the issue they say.
Should they be returned to greece by c hitchens verso books 1998 the parthenon and its impact in modern times by by p tournikiotis ed harry n.
Greece is putting pressure on the louvre museum in its long running campaign to retrieve the elgin marbles from britain.
Since regaining independence in 1832 successive greek governments have petitioned for the return of the parthenon marbles.
The marbles may have been obtained illegally and hence should be returned to their rightful owner.
Greeks feel that elgin removed the marbles both violently and illegally.
The trustees of the british museum have stated they would consider lending the marbles to athens though some are too fragile to travel in either direction notes the director neil.
The greek campaign to reunite the marbles started in the 1980s.
One is that lord elgin the british ambassador to the ottoman empire in the early 19th century denuded the parthenon of much of its sculpture.
There are certainly bad reasons to return the marbles.
During her service as the greek minister of culture between 1981 and.