British Report Says Talks Over Parthenon Sculptures Have Broken Down

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Talks between the Greek government and the British Museum over the possible return of the Parthenon Sculptures to Athens have reportedly collapsed, according to a report by Britain’s Telegraph.

The newspaper reported on Wednesday that no negotiations are currently taking place and that Athens has indicated discussions are unlikely to resume.

However, the report said communication channels between the two sides remain open, meaning the situation could potentially change.

The discussions began in 2021 after Greece and the British Museum expressed a willingness to explore a possible arrangement that could allow a substantial part of the ancient sculptures to return to Athens.

One proposal involved the sculptures travelling to Greece while other ancient Greek artefacts were loaned to the British Museum for exhibitions.

The question of legal ownership has remained one of the central obstacles.

Greece has rejected the idea of treating the Parthenon Sculptures as a conventional loan, arguing that such an arrangement could be interpreted as recognising British Museum ownership of the works.

According to the Telegraph, the negotiations are now “effectively over” amid frustration in Athens over the lack of progress. The report cited a source who said there were currently “no talks” and that they were not expected to resume.

The Parthenon Sculptures, historically referred to in Britain as the Elgin Marbles, were removed from the Acropolis more than 200 years ago by workmen acting for British diplomat Lord Elgin.

Elgin later sold the collection to the British government. At the time, Greece was under Ottoman rule and the Acropolis was being used as a military site.

Greece has repeatedly called for the sculptures to be reunited with the surviving monuments of the Parthenon in Athens. Greek authorities have long disputed the legality of their removal, while the British Museum maintains its position regarding the provenance and ownership of the collection.

The sculptures originally formed part of the decoration of the Parthenon, including figures from its eastern and western pediments and sections of the frieze that once ran around the temple.

Roughly half of the surviving Parthenon sculptures are held by the British Museum, while others remain in Athens, with smaller fragments located in museums elsewhere in Europe.

The latest report marks a setback in years of diplomatic and cultural discussions over one of the world’s most prominent disputes concerning the ownership and reunification of ancient heritage.

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