The Elgin Marbles

The Elgin Marbles were designed to adorn the Parthenon. In 1801 Lord Elgin had pieces of the frieze removed and sent to Britain. This work recounts the history of these sculptures and makes the case for their return to Greece, drawing out the moral and political perspectives of the argument.

The Elgin Marbles, designed and executed by Phidias to adorn the Parthenon, are some of the most beautiful sculptures of ancient Greece. In 1801 Lord Elgin, then British ambassador to the Turkish government in Athens, had pieces of the frieze sawn off and removed to Britain, where they remain, igniting a storm of controversy which has continued to the present day.

In the first full-length work on this fiercely debated issue, Christopher Hitchens recounts the history of these precious sculptures and forcefully makes the case for their return to Greece. Drawing out the artistic, moral, legal and political perspectives of the argument, Hitchens's eloquent prose makes The Elgin Marbles an invaluable contribution to one of the most important cultural controversies of our times.