The "Elgin"marbles.
Discussion
k orf.
I had the same defensive reaction from my other half when I commented that "harry looks like that bloody Hewitt bloke, Charlie aint his dad" she told me not to be daft and its not possible.
Eh ? its not like its personal to her. I still cannot work out why she thought I was out of order for that comment to be honest.
Anyone else have a clue ?
Anyway, The marbles, I have been to Athens and seen the new museum they have built in order to house what they have got left and perhaps house what they hope to get back. Before I visited my opinion was that we should keep them as they were daft enough to let us rip em out in the first place but after seeing the setting the museum is in and having visited the Acropolis I am now erring on the side of letting them have them back and put them on show with the rest of the parts. possibly "permanant loan" from us so we still "keep" them but they have them if the principle of the thing matters to anyone.
Eh ? its not like its personal to her. I still cannot work out why she thought I was out of order for that comment to be honest.
Anyone else have a clue ?
Anyway, The marbles, I have been to Athens and seen the new museum they have built in order to house what they have got left and perhaps house what they hope to get back. Before I visited my opinion was that we should keep them as they were daft enough to let us rip em out in the first place but after seeing the setting the museum is in and having visited the Acropolis I am now erring on the side of letting them have them back and put them on show with the rest of the parts. possibly "permanant loan" from us so we still "keep" them but they have them if the principle of the thing matters to anyone.
Lord Elgin paid £39,000 for the marbles, and that was more than 2 centuries ago when £39,000 was a massive amount of money! The marbles were being used for target practice, and the locals burned statues to make lime for the mortar to build houses. He bought the marbles as he feared there was a real risk for their survival. Amazing after all this time they have only just thought about asking for them back. They can view them for free at the British Museum should they wish. I doubt the Greeks could little afford the transport to take them back now anyway.
I notice the Chinese haven't asked for the loot from the Summer Palace back yet. And we didn't pay for that, we pinched it.
In fact, thinking along this line, it's Elgin's son (and brother) that led the march to Peking, and arranged to pinch this lot too.
Dodgy family, best avoided. Bad business all round.
In fact, thinking along this line, it's Elgin's son (and brother) that led the march to Peking, and arranged to pinch this lot too.
Dodgy family, best avoided. Bad business all round.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ac_marbles.jpg
Amazing. 2,500 years ago that was art, but when I look up similar stuff on the Internet, I get put on a register. The world's gone mad.
Amazing. 2,500 years ago that was art, but when I look up similar stuff on the Internet, I get put on a register. The world's gone mad.
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