In practice the term is commonly used to refer to the stone objects he gathered an official greek website prefers looted from.
The elgin marbles inventory number.
At its broadest the term elgin marbles refers to a collection of stone sculptures and architectural pieces which thomas bruce seventh lord elgin gathered during his service as ambassador to the court of the ottoman sultan in istanbul.
The elgin marbles a collection of stone sculptures and inscriptions more properly known as the parthenon sculptures was acquired by lord elgin in athens greece between 1801 and 1805 and today lives in london s british museum.
The final shipment of the elgin marbles reached london in 1812 and in 1816 the entire collection was acquired from elgin by the crown for the sum of 35 000 about half of elgin s costs.
During 18 th and 19 th centuries educated and wealthy westerners held the firm belief that ancient greek art and architecture was the highest expression of civilization.
As such they represent more than half of what now.
With this in mind in 1800 elgin dispatched a number of renowned artists to make sketches paintings and molds of ancient monuments in athens.
It is one of a number of relics acquired by lord elgin in athens in the early 19th century now known collectively as the elgin marbles.
The elgin marbles.
In 1810 elgin published a defense of his actions that silenced most of his detractors.