Monday, October 31, 2011

Discussion 6 Greek art Parthenon stones

Based on the information behind the discussion of whether or not the Parthenon marbles belong in the London museum or not is debatable. For one thing the archaeologist that discovered these artifacts at time though in order to preserve these pieces of history they should be placed in the London museum so that the world could see the wonders of ancient Greece. However the problem is that these Parthenon marbles where taken out of their native land without permission.  There could have been different policy's on those things in the 1800s where taking something out of a country was not a big deal like it is today in the twenty first century. In the 1800's the Greek artifacts came to the London museum and have been there on display since that time.There have been negotiations with the government in Greece as to the location of these artifacts. Does the Parthenon marbles belong to Greece or to the whole world? Some may argue that because these pieces of art where found in Greece then that is where they should remain and people from around the global can come to the museums in their country to see them. It makes for a more enlightening trip to see the original artifacts being on display in their own native land. Others might say on the other hand that the Parthenon marbles belong to everyone because everyone needs to learn about the history of Greece and other cultures. One of the ways that we learn about history is by going to museums and viewing the artwork and the pieces of architecture from other countries. Besides the people of Greece would what the world to know their cultures history and where they came from.

With having the Parthenon marbles in England it gave the people of Europe the benefit of going to see these wonders of Greece to gain a better understanding of the culture. Again some might say that the people of England took away some of Greece's history by taking the artifacts to London. Art is very important to the people of Greece because for one thing a lot of it has to do with their religion. There are many statues of the gods and goddesses that where created so that the people could pay contributions to these beings. The temples are another important part because their purpose was for people to go and worship these gods. What it comes down to is not a question about doing what many believe to be as right but how is it going to impact people. If the Greeks got their Parthenon marbles back would it be better to have them displayed at the museums in Greece rather then London or somewhere else. Would there be benefits to government in Greece having these artifacts back? The only thing that might be a benefit for Greece is the number of tourist from around the world coming to see their pieces of art. Still whether the Parthenon marbles are in Greece or not the country still gets tourist that see the other parts such as the temples and cities. There is a setback that does keep tourist from visiting England and Greece and that is the financial means and the time set aside to go.

Negotiations could be done in regards to having the Parthenon marbles go around the world such as going to museums in the United States, Canada, Asia, Africa, etc. That way everyone would get the opportunity to see these artifacts of Greece without having to travel so far and this special exhibit could be included in admission prices to the museums that it visits. It would be an educational experience for students of all ages. The point is that everyone should have a chance to see these pieces of art from Greece.

3 comments:

  1. I think that the tourist industry has a lot to do with why the Greeks want the Parthenon marbles back in their country. And, granted, it also has to do with why the British want the marbles to remain in the British Museum. Even though the British Museum does not charge an admission fee, tourists are still interested in coming to London (and paying for food and lodging) while they visit museums.

    -Prof. Bowen

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  2. The idea that you have about the display traveling around the world to different museums is a great one, however these things weigh a ton, it is not very realistic (to me) that these pieces would survive the travels. These stones are fragile despite their compound makeup. It would be amazing to see such historical pieces in person! Wouldn't it be cool if there was a way that replicas could be made out of a lighter, more durable medium so that they could be shipped around the world.....not the same I know, but still. :)

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  3. I would love nothing more than to be able to see the fantastic pieces of art. It would make me so happy. But like others have mentioned it would hard to transport these pieces. But what if Greece sent a piece of art to all of the museums in the world in return they get a piece of art from all the museums that they sent a piece to? Everyone around the world would be able to experience pieces of art from different cultures and different countries. Everyone would have the opportunity to enjoy all these different pieces without the expense of travel. If only we knew how to share.

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