Why The British Museum Has The Parthenon Marbles

Summary by Krater

This video examines how Lord Elgin removed the Parthenon Marbles from Athens and shipped them to Britain, detailing the historical context, the controversial firman, the damage caused during removal, and the subsequent sale to the British Museum.

From the video

Answers: How did the Parthenon Marbles end up in the British Museum?

• Parthenon Marbles history
• Lord Elgin embassy to Ottoman Empire
• Acropolis sculpture removal
• The firman of 1801
• Giovanni Battista Lusieri
• British Museum acquisition

What it concludes

• Lord Elgin acquired the Parthenon sculptures under the ambiguous terms of a disputed Ottoman firman obtained through political maneuvering and threats.
• The removal process supervised by Elgin's team caused severe structural damage to the Parthenon, including dropped crates and a shipwreck off Kythira.
• Elgin accrued massive debts exceeding 74,000 pounds for his expedition, ultimately forcing him to sell the collection to the British Parliament for 35,000 pounds in 1816.