The Legality of the Removal of the Parthenon Marbles. Truth or Fiction? Archival Research Reveals the Facts About the Removal of the Parthenon Marbles by Lord Elgin

Authors

• Elena Korka, Antiquities and Cultural Heritage of the Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Sports

Abstract

The article argues that the removal of the Parthenon Marbles by Lord Elgin in the early nineteenth century was illegal, as Elgin never obtained official Ottoman authorization, contrary to British claims. The analysis reveals that Elgin fabricated legal justifications, including the misuse of an unofficial letter from the Kaymakam, to legitimize his actions. The British government's acquisition of the marbles is thus questioned on legal and ethical grounds.

Disciplines

Entertainment, Arts, and Sports Law | International Law | Law

Recommended Citation

Elena Korka, The Legality of the Removal of the Parthenon Marbles. Truth or Fiction? Archival Research Reveals the Facts About the Removal of the Parthenon Marbles by Lord Elgin, 41 Cardozo Arts & Ent. L.J. 151 (2022).
Available at: https://larc.cardozo.yu.edu/cardozoaelj/vol41/iss4/11