The Parthenon Marbles Dispute: Heritage, Law, Politics
- Title
- The Parthenon Marbles Dispute: Heritage, Law, Politics
- Creator
- Alexander Herman
- Publisher
- Bloomsbury/Hart
- Date
- 2023
- Description
-
This book offers a fresh take on the history of those famous pieces of ancient sculpture removed from the Acropolis in Athens by Lord Elgin’s men in the early 19th century. It explains how they became the cause célèbre of the larger debates around cultural heritage and restitution now taking place. The subject is one that is currently embroiling museums, governments, universities and the public at large.
Herman provides a balanced, thorough and critical account of the history of the Marbles, while considering the legalities of their initial removal and the ethics of their retention by the British Museum. It explains why this particular dispute has not been satisfactorily resolved, and suggests new ways of seeking resolution – for the Parthenon Marbles and for the many other cultural treasures held in museum collections outside their countries of origin.