Parthenon Sculptures: British document reveals that they can be returned by a law change

At a time when discussions for the reunification of the Parthenon Sculptures have been revived and constant, a declassified document comes to give a very important development in the struggle of the Greek claim.

According to the document, the contents of which are brought to light by the British newspaper The Telegraph, the law that prevents the return of the Parthenon Sculptures could be changed.

According to the British Law of 1963, the British Museum is prohibited from donating pieces, including the Parthenon Sculptures, from its collection and this legislation is pressed by those in charge when the request for return to the forefront.

This week, however, the secret documents in the possession of the Art Newspaper, which seem to overturn the current data, were busy.

They present the position of the then British ambassador to Athens 30 years ago, who had admitted that the issue of the Marbles is something the UK cannot win.

“The best we can do is to keep our heads down as far as possible, and avoid using defensive arguments here in Greece which will sound hollow in Greek ears,” David Miers wrote in a Foreign Office report.

“For instance, I do not think the argument about the trustees of the museum is a very good one for use here. The Greeks know that we could legislate [to allow deaccessioning] if we wanted: the problem for them is that we don’t want [to].”

READ MORE: Four of the finest Ancient Greek sculptures kept in museums away from their motherland.