The Greek Current

Theft at the British Museum puts spotlight on the Parthenon Sculptures

Episode Summary

This summer it became known that more than 2,000 items were stolen from the British Museum over a long period of time. Angelos Chaniotis, a professor of ancient history and Classics at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, joins Thanos Davelis to look at what this crisis means for the British Museum, and explore whether it could impact efforts aimed at reuniting the Parthenon Sculptures.

Episode Notes

In 2021, despite warnings about items from its collections being sold by private persons, the British Museum chose not to view the matter “with much alarm.” This summer it became known that more than 2,000 items were stolen from the British Museum over a long period of time. This undoubtedly raises questions about the safety of countless artifacts, and has some asking whether it will affect the demand for the reunification of the Parthenon Sculptures. Angelos Chaniotis, a professor of ancient history and Classics at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, joins Thanos Davelis to look at what this crisis means for the British Museum, and explore whether it could impact efforts aimed at reuniting the Parthenon Sculptures.

Read Prof. Angelos Chaniotis’ latest article in Kathimerini: The Parthenon Sculptures – now that the British Museum has lost its charm

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