‘The Parthenon Marbles represent two-and-a-half-thousand years of glorious Greek history. They are an indispensable part of our national identity and heritage,’ says Emanuel Comino, Founder of the Australian Campaign for the Repatriation of the Parthenon Marbles.
Elgin took this to mean that he could physically dismantle any pieces of art from the temple that he wished to – an interpretation of the firman that is now widely challenged. He and his team then proceeded to remove 15 metopes, half of the surviving frieze and four fragments from a smaller temple dedicated to Athena Nike, located on the Acropolis. The collection was loaded into boxes and transported to England by ship.
