Parthenon marbles, for the first time, British Museum confirms there is dialogue with Greece

For the first time, the British Museum confirms that negotiations are underway with Greece with a view to a possible return of the Parthenon Marbles to Athens. The indiscretion had come out in December, when the Greek newspaper Ta Nea broke the news that the two sides were meeting secretly to settle the issue. In an article last Dec. 3, the Greek newspaper’s London correspondent, Yannis Andritsopoulos, specifically reported that the British Museum’s president, George Osborne, had been in contact with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis for as long as thirteen months to negotiate the possible return of the “Elgin marbles,” as they are called in England. The negotiations, according to Ta Nea, would start in 2021, and Osborne would also meet with two Greek government ministers. And according to some sources, the negotiations are at an advanced stage.

In recent months, however, the British Museum had not given any confirmation, although there had been some signs of openness, for example last August, when deputy director Jonathan Williams, in an interview with The Times, opened up the possibility of collaboration with Athens to find “new ways of working together,” while reiterating the fact that there would be no return. After that, on Jan. 3 of this year, Bloomberg, citing unnamed sources, let it be known that Athens and London were close to an agreement that could lead to loans of the marbles to Athens on a rotating basis for several years, in exchange for works that Athens would send to London. And also according to Bloomberg, the British Museum is considering exhibiting reproductions of the Parthenon marbles.

The latest news, as mentioned above, is the British’s confirmation, which arrived this morning. In fact, the museum stated for the first time in a note that it is involved in “constructive discussions” with Greece about the return of some of the Parthenon marbles. “We have publicly stated that we are actively seeking a new partnership for the Parthenon with our friends in Greece and as we enter a new year constructive discussions are underway,” the museum says. According to Greek sources, however, the two sides are still distant: an unidentified senior Greek official reportedly told the Guardian that there are no agreements yet.

At the moment, however, it is still too early to say whether the British will return the marbles outright, but at the same time, again according to the Guardian, it is unlikely that the demands of Greece and the international community (in 2021 UNESCO had also adopted a Decision on the case asking the United Kingdom to review its positions on the Parthenon marbles) can be met by a loan alone, given also the latest developments in the affair coming from Italy: from our country, in fact, the Palermo fragment, a fragment of the Parthenon decoration that was in the Salinas Museum in Palermo, has been definitively returned, while Pope Francis has returned, also in his case definitively, all three fragments of the Parthenon marbles kept in the Vatican Museums.

The agreement that seems to be on the horizon at the moment between the British Museum and Greece, however, would appear to be that of a loan, according to leaks from the British and Greek press: thus not a final resolution of the issue, but at least a step toward a détente of relations between Athens and London, which have known rather agitated moments in recent months. More will be known after the Greeks and British hold thatofficial meeting announced by UNESCO last May but not yet scheduled.

Image: British Museum, Parthenon Marbles, the southern part of the east pediment at the British Museum. Photo by Brian Jeffery Beggerly

Parthenon marbles, for the first time, British Museum confirms there is dialogue with Greece

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