I still remember the awe in which I saw them at the British Museum, almost 25 years ago. Ancient history was one of my favorite subjects in school, and I was really struck by something so sacred in front of me. It didn't seem right at the time they would be locked away in England. Except, of course, the acid rain has been doing such destruction to the ancient monuments in Athens. At any rate, hope it's resolved.

http://www.boston.com/dailynews/127/world/Students_march_to_demand_retur:.shtml

Students march to demand return of Elgin Marbles

By Associated Press, 5/7/2001 08:34

ATHENS, Greece (AP) Holding olive branches and torches, some 400 students and teachers marched to the British Embassy on Monday, demanding the return of sculptures removed from the Parthenon 200 years ago, the official Athens News Agency said.

They asked to speak to the British ambassador, but the mission was closed due to a British holiday. Municipal official joined in the march.

Known as the Elgin Marbles, the sculptures that decorated the Parthenon atop the Acropolis were removed by Lord Elgin, Britain's ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, and have been housed in the British Museum in London since the early 19th century.

Athens is pressing for their return by 2004, when the city will host the Olympic Games, and is planning to build a museum in the center of the capital to house them. The collection has been the subject of a decades-long diplomatic dispute between Britain and Greece.

-- Anonymous, May 08, 2001

Answers

They should be returned. As a matter of fact, a lot of the museum pieces that are in various places should be re-patriated to their countries.

Not returning them tends to make Britian out as, what is the term.....hmmm, well, not very nice.

-- Anonymous, May 08, 2001

Even if the Greeks get their Elgins back, they still will not have all their marbles.

:)

-- Anonymous, May 08, 2001

nyuk! nyuk! nyuk!

Well, maybe if they get them statues back it will remind them to bathe more often. ;)

-- Anonymous, May 08, 2001