Parthenon Marbles

I am going to discuss the importance of the Parthenon marbles being returned to their original home in Athens, Greece. At this moment the marbles rest in The British Museum in London, England. 

I feel as if the Parthenon marbles should be returned to Athens where they originate from. I feel as if countries do this often in a expression of power and dominance, even if the British museum is not meaning it to be seen this way I believe it is. If the marbles had been a gift it may be seen otherwise but they were purchased  and whether this is absolutely legitimate is still being questioned. I believe out of respect for Greece the stones should be returned. 

There is an argument that because the marbles are not in their original place that the historical context of the pieces is interrupted. This argument can be easily disputed because a lot of pieces have been removed from their original place to be shown in museums. Ancient Egyptian art, etc., have been removed from their original context so they could be viewed more easily and to a wider audience. With that said the placement of the stones is not an agreed upon topic among Greece and Britain. Also, I DO think there is some historical context that is broken when the original piece is moved. I believe the creators of the Parthenon did not anticipate the movement of their art and therefore some of the original perceptions that were intended of the sculptures have changed because of the movement. The audience viewing would arguably get a better understanding and the full monumental extent of the Parthenon marbles if they were returned to their original place. Would a viewer gain a richer insight of the Pyramids if they actually visited them or went to a museum and saw only pieces? My believe is that the sculptures should be viewed as a whole.  

It should be said that the British museum are displaying the sculptures to show their aesthetic beauty. The stones obviously took an extended period of time to be created and were cut with immense precision and care. This is an important thing to remember about any work of art, the aesthetic beauty is always a major part of art and one of the reasons that an artist creates it. With that said, what is art without context and meaning? Which is a major part of the creation of these statues. 

I believe that aesthetic beauty and the history of the stones could be reunited if the statues were returned to their rightful place in Athens. This would show a large amount of respect for the historical aspect of the sculptures and for Greece in their independence.