Elgin Marbles

The Greeks want their marbles back. They've been moaning about them for yonks, but now they're virtually bankrupt they want them even more, probably to sell to the J. Paul Getty Museum. They have Amal Alamuddin Clooney (wife of George Clooney) taking up the cudgels on their behalf. UNESCO has agreed to act as mediator in the long-running dispute. And yesterday their latest ploy was unveiled at Athens airport: a picture of the Parthenon and its marble statues on an interactive screen. Travellers are asked "Do you support the return of the Parthenon marbles? Yes" or "No". The Elgin Marbles are named after British diplomat Lord Elgin, who had them shipped to Britain in the early 1800s. Some diplomat! But he did a deal with the Ottoman Empire, which then ruled Greece, and the British government bought the marbles, which have been in The British Museum for 200 years (CLICK).