The first perfect replica of a Parthenon sculpture was unveiled on Tuesday by the Institute for Digital Archaeology (IDA) at the Freud Museum in London, the United Kingdom.
According to The Times, the sculpture is of a horse’s head and was carved by a robot from Pentelic Marble — the same material used on the original Parthenon Marbles 2,500 years ago.
The IDA created the replica after surreptitiously scanning the original Parthenon Marbles in the British Museum — where they have been held since Lord Elgin stole them from the Parthenon in Athens, Greece in the early 19th century.
Pressure is growing on the British Museum over its ownership of looted objects including the Parthenon Marbles.
The founder of the IDA, Roger Michel, said he hoped the replica would “support” ongoing discussions around the objects’ repatriation to Greece and added he felt “confident” a deal would be concluded soon.
“I can’t reveal all the details but a very sensible deal has been worked out and there is a fast and furious timetable for their conclusion,” Michel told The National News of the reported negotiations between the Chairman of the British Museum, George Osborne, and the Greek ambassador to the UK, Ioannis Raptakis.
Mr Michel said he expected a deal on the return of the 2,500-year-old friezes to be implemented before the next Greek elections in 2023.
The British Museum and UK government have consistently ruled out permanently returning the Parthenon Marbles, although Osborne said recently that he thought there was “a deal to be done where we can tell both stories in Athens and in London.”
Source: The Times and The National News.
READ MORE: ‘Ι will continue fighting until the Parthenon Marbles return to Greece’: Emanuel J. Comino.
