Greece’s Culture Minister Lina Mendoni has pledged to send other artifacts to ‘fill the void’ at the British Museum if ancient statues are returned to Athens.
The Greek minister said her country was ready to part with some of its greatest treasures to “fill the void” at the British Museum if the Parthenon marbles were reunited in Athens.
Speaking to the Guardian a year after the campaign to recover the 5th century BC masterpieces began, Lina Mendoni promised that Greek galleries at the British Museum would never be empty.
“Our position is clear. If the statues are reunited in Athens, Greece is ready to organize rotating exhibitions of important antiquities to fill the void.”
Sculpture crisis between Britain and Greece
About half of the Parthenon’s original sculptures that have survived are in the British Museum.
Greece has demanded the return of the sculptures, but the museum management has not responded to this call.
The Parthenon temple in Athens, the capital of Greece, was built in the 5th century BC.
In the early 1800s, British Ambassador Thomas Bruce brought parts and statues from the temple to his country.
In 1815, British museum officials bought the ancient Greek artifacts from Bruce.
The artifacts are now on display at the British Museum in London, 2,400 kilometers from Greece.
New offer from Athens in the statue crisis between the UK and Greece
1 min read
