[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Con. Res. 127 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

  2d Session
S. CON. RES. 127

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


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             June 30, 2000

 Mr. Fitzgerald submitted the following resolution; which was referred 
                 to the Committee on Foreign Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


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

Whereas the Parthenon was built on the hill of the Acropolis at 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--its art, 
        architecture, and democracy--and of the contributions that modern Greeks 
        and their forefathers have made to civilization;
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, 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 parts of the Parthenon, which can best be appreciated 
        if all the Parthenon Marbles are reunified;
Whereas the Parthenon has served as a place of worship for ancient Greeks, 
        Orthodox Christians, Roman Catholics, and Muslims;
Whereas the Parthenon has been adopted by imitation by the United States in many 
        preeminent public buildings, including the Lincoln Memorial;
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, even without considering the legal issues surrounding the removal of 
        the Parthenon Marbles, the United Kingdom should return them 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 is constructing a new, permanent museum to house all the Marbles, 
        protected from the elements and in full view of the Acropolis;
Whereas Greece and various international committees have pledged to work with 
        the British Government to negotiate mutually agreeable conditions for 
        the return of the Parthenon Marbles;
Whereas the people of the United Kingdom do not have an ancient bond to the 
        Parthenon Marbles, given that the Marbles have been in London for less 
        than 200 years of the over 2,430 year history of the Parthenon was 
        built, and as evidenced by a 1998 poll in which only 15 percent of the 
        Britons polled recalled having seen the Marbles in the British Museum;
Whereas the British people support the return of the Parthenon Marbles, as 
        reflected in several recent polls;
Whereas a resolution signed by a majority of members of the European Parliament 
        urged the British Government to return the Parthenon Marbles to their 
        natural setting in Greece;
Whereas the British House of Commons Select Committee on Culture, Media, and 
        Sport is to be commended for examining the issue of the disposition of 
        the Parthenon Marbles in hearings held this year;
Whereas returning the Parthenon Marbles to Greece would be a gesture of good 
        will on the part of the British Parliament, and would in no way affect 
        the disposition of other objects in museums around the world; and
Whereas in 2004 the Olympics will return to Greece, where the Olympics began, 
        and the Parthenon Marbles should be returned to their home in Athens by 
        that time: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring), 
That it is the sense of the Congress that the Government of the United 
Kingdom should enter into negotiations with the Government of Greece as 
soon as possible to facilitate the return of the Parthenon Marbles to 
Greece before the Olympics in 2004.
                                 <all>