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> Mitsotakis' plan for the sculptures is extremely self-serving and overall sucks for Greece. What is the plan?

m000 3y ago
The plan is* to return them for display in the Acropolis museum as a loan from the BM. In exchange, Greece will loan to the BM equally important artifacts (rumors include Agamemnon's death mask) to replace the sculptures. See [1], [2]. This, of course, legitimizes the ownership of the sculptures by the BM, and precludes further restitution claims by Greece. Mitsotakis administration has already made a similar arrangement for the Stern collection of cycladic artifacts [3]. The archaeologists in Greece are in arms for the case, because the collection includes smuggled artifacts. Displaying it in a public Greek museum effectively legitimizes smuggling of antiquities, as long as you are cozy with the Greek government. Fun fact: Mitsotakis family used to have a private antiquities collection that turned out to be illegitimate and they were forced to relinquish it [4]. So, Mitsotakis pretending to be the protector of the ancient Greek heritage is nothing less than a bad joke. *or at least was, in which case Sunak was smart to dodge the meeting. [1] https://www.returningheritage.com/returning-the-parthenon-marbles-really https://www.returningheritage.com/returning-the-parthenon-ma... [2] https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/greece-to-offer-artefact-exchange-for-elgin-marbles-6bx7z3pg0 https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/greece-to-offer-artefact-... [3] https://www.returningheritage.com/an-inventive-collaboration-or-a-stitch-up https://www.returningheritage.com/an-inventive-collaboration... [4] https://www.theartnewspaper.com/1994/02/01/former-greek-premier-caught-red-handed-with-illegal-antiquities https://www.theartnewspaper.com/1994/02/01/former-greek-prem...
- okeuro49 3y ago
  That plan does sound like the worst of both worlds. I wouldn't mind seeing the marbles returned, solely from the perspective that I like the Classics and I think it would be cool to have them near the Acropolis.

m000 3y ago

The plan is* to return them for display in the Acropolis museum as a loan from the BM. In exchange, Greece will loan to the BM equally important artifacts (rumors include Agamemnon's death mask) to replace the sculptures. See [1], [2]. This, of course, legitimizes the ownership of the sculptures by the BM, and precludes further restitution claims by Greece. Mitsotakis administration has already made a similar arrangement for the Stern collection of cycladic artifacts [3]. The archaeologists in Greece are in arms for the case, because the collection includes smuggled artifacts. Displaying it in a public Greek museum effectively legitimizes smuggling of antiquities, as long as you are cozy with the Greek government. Fun fact: Mitsotakis family used to have a private antiquities collection that turned out to be illegitimate and they were forced to relinquish it [4]. So, Mitsotakis pretending to be the protector of the ancient Greek heritage is nothing less than a bad joke. *or at least was, in which case Sunak was smart to dodge the meeting. [1] https://www.returningheritage.com/returning-the-parthenon-marbles-really https://www.returningheritage.com/returning-the-parthenon-ma... [2] https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/greece-to-offer-artefact-exchange-for-elgin-marbles-6bx7z3pg0 https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/greece-to-offer-artefact-... [3] https://www.returningheritage.com/an-inventive-collaboration-or-a-stitch-up https://www.returningheritage.com/an-inventive-collaboration... [4] https://www.theartnewspaper.com/1994/02/01/former-greek-premier-caught-red-handed-with-illegal-antiquities https://www.theartnewspaper.com/1994/02/01/former-greek-prem...

okeuro49 3y ago
That plan does sound like the worst of both worlds. I wouldn't mind seeing the marbles returned, solely from the perspective that I like the Classics and I think it would be cool to have them near the Acropolis.