June 7, 2016
On this day 200 years ago
Today is the anniversary of the parliamentary debate leading to the acquisition of the Parthenon Marbles by the UK government
In the modern history of the Parthenon Marbles, 2016 was the year in which the British Government agreed to acquire them from Lord Elgin in exchange for paying off some of his debts.
June 7th 1816 was a particularly important date, as this was the day of the Parliamentary debate that led to the acquisition of the sculptures. In effect, it was the day the the British Government agreed to the purchase.
Today is also a reminder that requests of the reunification of the Parthenon Marbles are not new. During the original parliamentary debate, Hugh Hammersley MP suggested the amendment to the Act that: “…Great Britain holds these Marbles only in trust till they are demanded by the present, or any future possessors of the city of Athens; and upon such demand, engages without question or negotiation, to restore them, as far as can be effected, to the places from where they were taken, and that they shall be in the mean time carefully preserved in the British Museum…”
You can read more about what happened to the Marbles in 1816 here.
- Stephen Fry: “It would be a ‘classy’ move for Britain to return the Parthenon Marbles” : June 13, 2012
- House of Commons Early Day Motion to highlight recent developments relating to Parthenon Marbles return : November 8, 2012
- Early Day Motion on the Parthenon Marbles : July 25, 2005
- Lord Elgin’s great great great grandson on the Marbles : January 8, 2009
- New legislation in Europe may help recovery of looted national treasures : February 22, 2013
- Parthenon Marbles debate to be broadcast live at Acropolis Museum & re-shown on following day : June 8, 2012
- British Prime Minister does not want the Elgin Marbles returned : June 23, 2011
- Are the Elgin Marbles really “yesterday’s question”? : July 10, 2009
juliansharpe said,
06.07.16 at 10:01 pm
RT @elginism: Blog post: On this day 200 years ago an Act of Parliament was used to acquire the Parthenon Marbles from Lord Elgin https://t…
englander1942 said,
06.07.16 at 10:05 pm
RT @elginism: Blog post: On this day 200 years ago an Act of Parliament was used to acquire the Parthenon Marbles from Lord Elgin https://t…
mistavri said,
06.07.16 at 10:08 pm
RT @elginism: Blog post: On this day 200 years ago an Act of Parliament was used to acquire the Parthenon Marbles from Lord Elgin https://t…
Tom4Jones said,
06.07.16 at 10:19 pm
The British Museum : one of the most impressive repositories of loot pilfered from around the world https://t.co/OHS9KhEEcu via @sharethis
mritamon said,
06.08.16 at 5:23 am
RT @elginism: Blog post: On this day 200 years ago an Act of Parliament was used to acquire the Parthenon Marbles from Lord Elgin https://t…
karenbb1968 said,
06.08.16 at 7:09 am
RT @elginism: Blog post: On this day 200 years ago an Act of Parliament was used to acquire the Parthenon Marbles from Lord Elgin https://t…
Akarep1 said,
06.08.16 at 7:36 am
RT @elginism: Blog post: On this day 200 years ago an Act of Parliament was used to acquire the Parthenon Marbles from Lord Elgin https://t…
davidwjgill said,
06.08.16 at 9:42 pm
RT @elginism: Blog post: On this day 200 years ago an Act of Parliament was used to acquire the Parthenon Marbles from Lord Elgin https://t…
rogueclassicist said,
06.08.16 at 10:50 pm
RT @elginism: Blog post: On this day 200 years ago an Act of Parliament was used to acquire the Parthenon Marbles from Lord Elgin https://t…
evanbinos said,
06.08.16 at 10:56 pm
RT @elginism: Blog post: On this day 200 years ago an Act of Parliament was used to acquire the Parthenon Marbles from Lord Elgin https://t…
roalddocter said,
06.09.16 at 5:45 am
RT @elginism: Blog post: On this day 200 years ago an Act of Parliament was used to acquire the Parthenon Marbles from Lord Elgin https://t…
KCSClassics said,
06.09.16 at 6:26 am
RT @elginism: Blog post: On this day 200 years ago an Act of Parliament was used to acquire the Parthenon Marbles from Lord Elgin https://t…
nickvenedi said,
06.10.16 at 8:08 am
RT @elginism: Blog post: On this day 200 years ago an Act of Parliament was used to acquire the Parthenon Marbles from Lord Elgin https://t…
ParthenonSuisse said,
06.10.16 at 9:06 am
RT @elginism: Blog post: On this day 200 years ago an Act of Parliament was used to acquire the Parthenon Marbles from Lord Elgin https://t…