New Acropolis Museum update

The BBC has prepared a report on the progress of the new Acropolis Museum. This again raises the issue of the Elgin Marbles, currently in the British Museum. What one must bear in mind is that these sculptures bear a symbolic significance for the Greek nation, whose modern identity revolves around the idea of classical Greece; the ‘purified’ Parthenon, ‘free’ from medieval and Ottoman ’scars’ represents ideas of purity in the nation, an ideal very popular in the 19th and early 20th century. The Parthenon, and the Elgin marbles are undoubtedly important. However, I feel that Greece’s archaeology (and archaeological practice) has suffered from a ‘lust for the classical’, a drive to highlight its classical period, downgrading the Byzantine, Frankish, Venetian and Ottoman influence on the landscape. Although in recent years this idea has been gradually abandoned, the great importance (and symbolism) the Parthenon bears, demonstrates the Greek state’s strong ideological identification (which is nonetheless selective) with a specific historical period. The research and study of classical Greece has been a priority and has claimed the lion’s share in terms of attention and funding. Simply click on the image below to view the video.