Elgin Marbles

The Elgin Marbles are ancient Greek sculptures and architectural fragments removed from the Parthenon and other Acropolis buildings, now mostly held by the British Museum.

Parthenon: A fifth-century BCE temple to Athena on the Athenian Acropolis, celebrated for its sculptural decoration. Most of the collection’s best-known sculptures came from this temple.
Parthenon frieze: A continuous sculpted band that decorated the upper exterior of the Parthenon’s inner chamber. Its surviving sections form a substantial and disputed part of the collection.
Parthenon sculptures dispute: A dispute over whether the Parthenon sculptures in London should remain there or be returned to Greece. The collection lies at the center of this continuing disagreement.
Acropolis Museum: An archaeological museum in Athens displaying finds from the Acropolis and a purpose-built Parthenon gallery. Its display of Greek-held Parthenon sculptures makes the division between Athens and London visible.
Acropolis of Athens: An ancient fortified hill in Athens containing major sanctuaries, including the Parthenon. The collection includes fragments from buildings across this site.
Parthenon metopes: Carved square panels on the Parthenon depicting mythological battles. Several removed panels portray conflicts such as the battle between centaurs and Lapiths.
Melina Mercouri: A Greek actor, singer, and politician who campaigned for the return of the Parthenon sculptures. Her international advocacy made their restitution a prominent cultural issue.
Parthenon marbles in Athens: Surviving Parthenon sculptures and fragments held in Greece, especially in the Acropolis Museum. They belong to the same sculptural ensemble but remain under Greek custody.
Phidias: An ancient Greek sculptor and architect associated with major works commissioned in fifth-century BCE Athens. Ancient sources associate him with the Parthenon’s sculptural program.
Parthenon pediments: Sculptural groups that filled the triangular gables at the east and west ends of the Parthenon. The collection includes figures removed from both pediments.

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