CONTEXT NOTE

The Parthenon Marbles, also known as the Elgin Marbles are a collection of Classical Greek marble sculptures made under the supervision of the architect and sculptor Phidias and his assistants. They now 'reside' in the the British Museum (BM) were originally part of the temple of the Parthenon and other buildings on the Acropolis of Athens. Their removal to  the BM is often charactorised as the “greatest art theft in history”.  Interestingly, the tale of the Elgin Marbles focuses on their controversial removal and their disputed ownership – and somewhat curiously that kind of resonates in Tasmania.

From 1801 to 1812 – about the the time Tasmania was being colonised – agents of Thomas Bruce, 7th Earl of Elgin removed about half of the surviving sculptures of the Parthenon. The Marbles were transported by sea to Britain. Elgin later claimed to have obtained in 1801 an official decree (a firman) from the Sublime Porte, the central government of the Ottoman Empire which were then the rulers of Greece. 

This firman has not been found in the Ottoman archives despite its wealth of documents from the same period and its veracity is disputed. The Acropolis Museum displays a proportion of the complete frieze, aligned in orientation and within sight of the Parthenon, with the position of the missing elements clearly marked and space left should they be returned to Athens.

In Britain, the acquisition of the collection was supported by some, while others, such as Lord Byron, likened the Earl's actions to vandalism or looting. Following a public debate in Parliament and its subsequent exoneration of Elgin, he sold the Marbles to the British government in 1816. 

They were then passed to the British Museum, where they are now on display in the purpose-built Duveen Gallery. Arguably, 'the marbles' are a trophy of a sort albeit with all kinds of narratives evolving the. In the time the Tasmanian petroglyphs were 'recovered' other narratives, but not always dissimilar understandings, evolved. 

The 'colonial context' of the BM COLLECTIONS resonates loudly till this day and the 'colonial plunder' on display sends various and sometimes contradictory messages to all those who visit the museum in London – and these days via the Internet.

Interestingly, musingplaces currently are finding themselves front and centre when 'cultural property' is being contested and 'ownerships' get to be interrogated in a world 'globalism' is in a state of flux.