Let's cut the shit:
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We all know the story: In 1802, Thomas Bruce, 7th Earl of Elgin (1766-1841) decided to remove the marble friezes from the Parthenon and ship them back to Scotland as an ornament for his new country home. Ever since then, the marbles have been the center of an impassioned argument about whether they should stay in London, where they are now housed in the British Museum, or be returned to Greece. Opinions about Lord Elgin range from the title of this page to the not un-founded theory that he was a hero who saved the friezes from further decay and perhaps destruction.
Perhaps the most profoundly disquieting question raised by the theft of the Parthenon marbles is whether it is ever right to dismember something of profound beauty--including an idea or a feeling--in order to present pieces of it as isolated relics, almost fetishes.
Lord Elgin's Biography All the latest dirt.
The Elgin Marbles Game If you would like to fling marble at Lord Elgin, go here.
A List of Lord Elgin's T-shirts Silly, silly, silly...
The Parthenon Marbles is an excellent site devoted to getting the marbles returned to Greece. Includes a history of the friezes, the poem by Keats, and many other very interesting sections.
Parthenon Day was 5 December. If you would like the marbles returned, visit this site.
Here is the British Museum's reason for not returning the Parthenon friezes.
Photos of the Parthenon Frieze Excellent photos of every section of the frieze. They are thumbnails; click on each photo and you will get a much larger and more-detailed version.
The Clan Bruce provides a sentence in defense of Lord Elgin. The Clan Bruce is Lord Elgin's family and numbers many, many distinguished members throughout Scotland's history.
Lord Elgin's Nose More esoteric discussion of Lord Elgin.
Commercial Site #1 and Commercial Site #2 making use of the Parthenon friezes.