119-hres18

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 18 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
H. RES. 18

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the Parthenon 
 Marbles should be returned to Greece.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 January 7, 2025

Ms. Malliotakis (for herself, Mr. Bilirakis, Mr. Pappas, and Ms. Titus) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
 on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

 RESOLUTION

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the Parthenon 
 Marbles should be returned to Greece.

Whereas the Parthenon was built on the hill of the Acropolis in Athens, Greece, 
 in the mid-fifth century B.C. under the direction of the Athenian 
 statesman Pericles and the design of the sculptor Phidias;
Whereas the Parthenon is the ultimate expression of the artistic genius of 
 Greece, the preeminent symbol of the Greek cultural heritage, including 
 its art, architecture, and democracy, and of the contributions that 
 modern Greeks and their forefathers have made to civilization;
Whereas the Parthenon has served as a place of worship for ancient Greeks, 
 Christians, and Muslims;
Whereas the Parthenon has been adopted by imitation by the United States in many 
 preeminent public buildings, including the Lincoln Memorial;
Whereas over 100 pieces of the Parthenon's sculptures, now known as the 
 Parthenon Marbles, were removed from the Parthenon under questionable 
 circumstances between 1801 and 1816 by British nobleman Thomas Bruce, 
 seventh Earl of Elgin, while Greece was still under Ottoman rule;
Whereas the removal of the Parthenon Marbles, including their perilous voyage to 
 Great Britain and their careless storage there for many years, greatly 
 endangered the Marbles;
Whereas the Parthenon Marbles were removed to grace the private home of Lord 
 Elgin, who transferred the Marbles to the British Museum only after 
 severe personal economic misfortunes;
Whereas the sculptures of the Parthenon were designed as an integral part of the 
 structure of the Parthenon temple, the carvings of the friezes, 
 pediments, and metopes are not merely statuary, movable decorative art, 
 but are integral arts of the Parthenon, which can best be appreciated if 
 all the Parthenon Marbles are reunified;
Whereas the Parthenon is a universal symbol of culture, democracy, and freedom, 
 making the Parthenon Marbles of concern not only to Greece but to all 
 the world;
Whereas, since obtaining independence in 1830, Greece has sought the return of 
 the Parthenon Marbles;
Whereas the return of the Parthenon Marbles would be a profound demonstration by 
 the United Kingdom of its appreciation and respect for the Parthenon and 
 classical art;
Whereas returning the Parthenon Marbles to Greece would be a gesture of good 
 will on the part of the British Parliament, and would set no legal 
 precedent, nor in any other way affect the ownership or disposition of 
 other objects in museums in the United States or around the world;
Whereas the United Kingdom should return the Parthenon Marbles in recognition 
 that the Parthenon is part of the cultural heritage of the entire world 
 and, as such, should be made whole;
Whereas Greece would provide care for the Parthenon Marbles equal or superior to 
 the care provided by the British Museum, especially considering the 
 irreparable harm caused by attempts by the museum to remove the original 
 color and patina of the Marbles with abrasive cleaners;
Whereas Greece opened the New Acropolis Museum in 2009 which houses the Marbles 
 that were not removed to the United Kingdom by Lord Elgin and displays 
 them alongside plaster replicas of the Marbles currently in the British 
 Museum so visitors can see the entire frieze as it was designed around 
 the Temple of Athena;
Whereas it has been 200 years since the British Government voted to purchase the 
 Marbles;
Whereas the Greek Government has publicly supported working with the British 
 Government in a diplomatic manner to negotiate mutually agreeable 
 conditions for the return of the Parthenon Marbles;
Whereas the people of Greece have a greater, ancient bond to the Parthenon 
 Marbles, which were in Greece for over 2,200 years of the over 2,430-
 year history of the Parthenon; and
Whereas British Members of Parliament across the political spectrum have 
 supported legislation to authorize the return of the Marbles to Greece: 
 Now, therefore, be it
 Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Representatives that 
the Government of the United Kingdom should enter into negotiations 
with the Government of Greece to facilitate return of the Parthenon 
Marbles to Greece.
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