Επιτρεψτε μου να ξαναγραψω αυτα που εστειλα στην Daily Telegraph τον Δεκεμβριο του 1999.The Parthenon Marbles debate is really a very entertaining one. The one surprising aspect is the abiding glamour and prestige of Classical Greece in this post-modern age. For, surely, not nearly so much fuss would have been made of artefacts from any other period of Greek history. Modern British civilisation, it seems, still feels the need to validate itself by association with the Classical past, hoping to be perceived as a worthy successor and heir. For Classical fans, this is probably welcome, if only to remind us how high art, democracy,imperialism and gross barbarity can coexist. And it goes a long way to explain a certain contempt for the unfortunate present-day inhabitants of the Greek peninsula, some of whom have the gall to call these artefacts "our marbles". After all, how can it be that the descendants of the people who manufactured those revered masterpieces are now so obviously inferior to us?The Greeks themselves, of course, have never had to go through these contortions to accommodate any such foreign heritage. They repeatedly destroyed their own and cheerfully made up a new one (Bronze Age / Classical / Byzantine).It is not true to say that the Greeks want all their artefacts back. On the contrary, they get quite a kick from seeing "their" stuff proudly displayed the world over. The Parthenon Marbles, it is claimed, are a special case. But are they? There is no hope that they will ever be placed on the Parthenon itself and the argument for keeping all pieces in one place for the sake of appreciating the whole can be satisfied by making suitable copies.No, the one important argument is that of "cultural property" and what it means to have control over significant artefacts. In my mind, the point about imperialism's need for cultural validation that is made bythe Marbles being displayed in the British Museum outweighs other considerations.So, what is to be done? Let the Greeks stop asking for the Marbles and instead let them proclaim that they will not accept one single pottery shard back unless all nations everywhere agree on the repatriation of all cultural artefacts removed without informed consent.And let the British Museum forever wonder what it is there for.Best Regards
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