Alice Roberts, a prominent English archaeologist, has voiced strong support for the permanent return of the Parthenon Sculptures to Greece, noting a shift in British public sentiment.
Speaking on Times Radio, as reported by Deutsche Welle (DW), Roberts stated,
“The tone in the country seems to have changed, though the details remain unresolved,” aligning her views with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ earlier remark: “It’s like cutting the Mona Lisa in half.”
Roberts emphasized the cultural dislocation caused by removing such artifacts, arguing, “Monuments designed for a specific place and environment lose their meaning when moved elsewhere.” Her comments inspired a headline in The Times, which asserted, “The Elgin Marbles are as significant to Greece as Stonehenge is to England.” To illustrate her point, Roberts compared the Parthenon Sculptures to Stonehenge, a UNESCO World Heritage site in Wiltshire, England, renowned for its Neolithic stone circle and visited by millions annually, especially during solstices when sunlight dramatically illuminates the megaliths—a source of immense pride for Britons, akin to the Parthenon’s importance to Greeks.
“I can only imagine the outrage in England if another country held pieces of Stonehenge and refused to return them,” Roberts remarked, aiming to resonate emotionally with the British public. Her advocacy follows a recent meeting with Greek Culture Minister Lina Mendoni, highlighting ongoing diplomatic efforts to resolve the long-standing dispute over the sculptures’ repatriation.