Should the World’s Rarest Antiquities be Allowed to Return Home?
Exploring some of the complex debates around repatriation
I recently stayed in Athens, Greece, and like thousands of others made a visit to the great rocky outcrop of the Acropolis where the Parthenon stands — perhaps the most potent and intoxicating symbol of the ancient past anywhere in the world.
I was struck by the proximity of the Acropolis to the museum itself which sits at the very foot of the rock.
Only the day before I’d been up to the top of the monument and walked under the shadow of the Parthenon temple. Now at the museum, I could look up and feel the authentic presence of the old Athenian citadel as I passed through the exhibition rooms.
Something missing?
Yet something vital was missing.
The top level of the museum is set aside for the display of the Parthenon marbles, a series of stone sculptures that once adorned the outer edges of the famous temple. This floor is designed to sit in the same compass orientation as the Parthenon itself and is laid out with the very same dimensions.
You can even see the ancient temple on top of the rock through the glass walls, which permit natural light to illumine the marbles on…
