A History of the Elgin Marbles/Parthenon Sculptures

The Elgin Marbles are a source of controversy between modern Britain and Greece. Its a collection of stone pieces rescued/removed from the ruins of the Ancient Greek Parthenon in the nineteenth century, and now in demand to be sent back from the British Museum to Greece. In many ways, the Marbles are emblematic of the development of modern ideas of national heritage and global display, which argues that localized regions have the best claim over items produced there. Do the citizens of a modern region have any claim over items produced in that region by people thousands of years ago? There are no easy answers, but many controversial ones. The Elgin Marbles 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. In practice, the term is commonly used to refer to the stone objects he gathered—an official Greek website prefers â€Å"looted†Ã¢â‚¬â€from Athens between 1801–05, particularly those from the Parthenon; these included 247 feet of a frieze. We believe that Elgin took around half of what was surviving at the Parthenon at that time. The Parthenon items are increasingly, and officially, called the Parthenon Sculptures. In Britain Elgin was heavily interested in Greek history and claimed he had the permission of the Ottomans, the people ruling Athens during his service, to gather his collection. After acquiring the marbles, he transported them to Britain, although one shipment sank during transit; it was fully recovered. In 1816, Elgin sold the stones for  £35,000, half his estimated costs, and they were acquired by the British Museum in London, but only after a Parliamentary Select Committee—a very high-level  body of inquiry—debated the legality of Elgin’s ownership. Elgin had been attacked by campaigners (then as now) for â€Å"vandalism,† but Elgin argued the sculptures would be better cared for in Britain and cited his permissions, documentation which campaigners for the return of the Marbles often now believe supports their claims. The committee allowed the Elgin Marbles to stay in Britain. They are now displayed by the British Museum. The Parthenon Diaspora The Parthenon and its sculptures/marbles have a history which stretches back 2500 years when it was built to honor a goddess called Athena. It has been a Christian church and a Muslim mosque. It has been ruined since 1687 when gunpowder stored inside exploded and attackers bombarded the structure. Over the centuries, the stones which both constituted and adorned the Parthenon had been damaged, especially during the explosion, and many have been removed from Greece. As of 2009, the surviving Parthenon sculptures are divided among museums in eight nations, including the British Museum, the Louvre, the Vatican collection, and a new, purpose-built museum in Athens. The majority of the Parthenon Sculptures are split evenly between London and Athens. Greece Pressure for the return of the marbles to Greece has been growing, and since the 1980s the Greek government has officially asked for them to be permanently repatriated. They argue that the marbles are a prime piece of Greek heritage and were removed with the permission of what was effectively a foreign government, as Greek independence only occurred a few years after Elgin was collecting. They also argue that the British Museum has no legal right to the sculptures. Arguments that Greece had nowhere to adequately display the marbles because they can’t be satisfactorily replaced in Parthenon have been made null and void by the creation of a new  £115 million Acropolis Museum with a floor recreating the Parthenon. In addition, massive works to restore and stabilize the Parthenon and the Acropolis have been, and are being, carried out. The British Museum’s Response The British Museum has basically said no to the Greeks. Their official position, as given on their website in 2009, is: â€Å"The British Museum’s Trustees argue that the Parthenon Sculptures are integral to the Museum’s purpose as a world museum telling the story of human cultural achievement. Here Greece’s cultural links with the other great civilizations of the ancient world, especially Egypt, Assyria, Persia, and Rome can be clearly seen, and the vital contribution of ancient Greece to the development of later cultural achievements in Europe, Asia, and Africa can be followed and understood. The current division of the surviving sculptures between museums in eight countries, with about equal quantities present in Athens and London, allows different and complementary stories to be told about them, focusing respectively on their importance for the history of Athens and Greece, and their significance for world culture. This, the Museum’s Trustees believe, is an arrangement that gives maximum public benefit for the world at large and affirms the universal nature of the Gree k legacy.† The British Museum has also claimed they have a right to keep the Elgin Marbles because they effectively saved them from further damage. Ian Jenkins was quoted by the BBC, while associated with the British Museum, as saying â€Å"If Lord Elgin did not act as he did, the sculptures would not survive as they do. And the proof of that as a fact is merely to look at the things that were left behind in Athens.† Yet the British Museum has also admitted that the sculptures were damaged by â€Å"heavy-handed† cleaning, although the precise level of damage is disputed by campaigners in Britain and Greece. Pressure continues to build, and as we live in a celebrity-driven world, some have weighed in. George Clooney and his wife Amal are the most high profile celebrities to call for the marbles to be sent to Greece, and his comments received what is, perhaps, best described as a mixed reaction in Europe. The marbles are far from the only item in a museum which another country would like back, but they are among the best known, and many people resistant to their transfer fear the complete dissolution of the western museum world should the floodgates be open. In 2015, the Greek government declined to take legal action over the marbles, interpreted as a sign that there is no legal right behind Greek demands.

Persuasive Essay Genetically Engineered Foods - 835 Words

Persuasive Research Essay: Genetically Engineered Foods Genetically engineered foods are products that are made out of genetically modified organism, or commonly known as GMO. The modification is inherited from generation to generation. These types of foods have deeply infiltrated the world’s food supply. Almost 90% of crops like corn, soybean, cotton, canola and sugar beets grown in the United States are now genetically modified. Genetic engineering promises increased crop yields, lower costs for farmers, and the reduced use of herbicides and pesticides. It is a completely different method from natural breeding. Because of the modification the nutritional content of the food will be altered. (Genetically Modified Organism (GMO)†). Genetically engineered foods should be banned everywhere in the world, because it is a huge danger to our health as well as to our environment and they increase herbicide and pesticide use. Since the modified product’s DNA is changed during the modification process, it can not only harm the environment, but humans as well. Many studies have shown that people get toxic and allergenic reactions from GMO food. The modified product is filled with chemicals. When people consume modified food, their immune system goes down and they tend to get sick. GMO food lacks in nutrients and has unknown side effects (Agricultural Biotechnology: The Promise and Prospects of Genetically Modified Crops). In 2010 the EuropeanShow MoreRelatedGenetically Modified Crops : Hope For Developing Countries?1543 Words   |  7 PagesLuis Herrera-Estrella and Ariel Alvarez-Morales, authors of â€Å"Genetically modified crops: hope for developing countries?†(2001) argues for genetically modified food to be grown in developing countries in an attempt to alleviate starvation and assist those countries in joining the developed world. The author supports this by immediately identifying and addressing prominent counter-arguments, displaying a localized need of the technology (soon to be globalized), and examining how harshly GMOs are criticizedRead MoreOne Significant Change That Has Occurred in the World Between 1900 and 2005. Explain the Impact This Change Has Made on Our Lives and Why It Is an Important Change.163893 Words   |  656 PagesPHILADELPHIA Temple University Press 1601 North Broad Street Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19122 www.temple.edu/tempress Copyright  © 2010 by Temple University All rights reserved Published 2010 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Essays on twentieth century history / edited by Michael Peter Adas for the American Historical Association. p. cm.—(Critical perspectives on the past) Includes bibliographical references. ISBN 978-1-4399-0269-1 (cloth : alk. paper)—ISBN 978-1-4399-0270-7

Helping Down Syndrome Essay Example For Students

Helping Down Syndrome Essay Have you ever been in a situation where you were confronted by a child who has Down Syndrome and were unsure of how to act around that child? I’m sure many of us have experienced the awkwardness that accompanies such a situation.Many people feel guilt or pity for these children, I believe these reactions result from a lack of knowledge about the condition. Which is why I have chosen this topic. Down Syndrome is a condition that cannot be physically passed on from one person to the next. It is a genetic disorder that is inherited through our parents when something goes wrong during pregnancy. As a result, they have a combination of features typical of Down Syndrome, including some degree of cognitive disability, as well as other developmental delays. One thing we should always keep in mind is that they are children and having Down Syndrome comes second. In 1866 British doctor John Langdon Down defined and described the characteristic symptoms of Down Syndrome but was unsure of the cause. It wasn’t until 1959 that Dr. Lejeunne and his team in Paris showed that people with Down Syndrome have an additional chromosome. We normally have 23 pairs of chromosomes, each made up of genes. The cells of people with Down Syndromeinclude three chromosome #21 instead of two. The extra 21st chromosome causes an extra dose of proteins. These proteins cause the typical features of Down Syndrome. While the fetus with Down Syndrome is developing, its body cells do not reproduce as fast as usual. That is the main reason why these babies are smaller than average after birth and their brain not as big as those of other newborn children. A child who has Down Syndrome will have exclusive individual characteristics which they have inherited from their parents. The child may resemble their father, mother, grandmother, or aunt. This is true not only for their outward appearance but also for their temperament and physical and intellectual abilities. Children with Down Syndrome have different traits, for instance some can be easy-going while other are stubborn, some may like music while others show no interest. Know matter what, each of these children are unique and special in their own way. Children with Down Syndrome have distinct physical characteristics. They are short in stature and have a small, round face with a high flattened forehead and fissured, dry lips and tongue. Another typical feature is a fold of skin, on either side of the bridge of the nose, between the corner of the eyes. The hands are often broad and the fingers short. The feet are compact with a gap between the first and second toe, and their hair is soft and sleek. Such persons are also subject to congenital heart defects, many of which can be corrected surgically. They are also more likely to develop leukemia than other members of the general population. There are three common types of Down Syndrome, the most common one being trisomy 21, which is found in about 95% of people with Down Syndrome. During pregnancy the formation of the egg or sperm, from a woman’s or a man’s pair of chromosomes normally split, so that only one chromosome is in each egg or sperm. In trisomy 21, the 21st chromosome pair does not split and a double-dose goes to the egg or sperm. The second type is known as translocation, found in about 3% to 4% of people with Down Syndrome. With this type an extra part of the 21st chromosome gets â€Å"stuck† onto another chromosome. The third type, mosaicism, is found in about 1% to 2% of people with Down Syndrome. With this type an extra 21st chromosome is found in only some of the cells. There are two tests that can be done to detect if the child you are carrying has any type of Down Syndrome, they are diagnostic and screening tests. A diagnostic test samples fetal cells and gives a definitive diagno sis. This test is usually done between 14 and 18weeks of pregnancy. Although fairly safe, there is a small risk of miscarriage with this test. Screening tests, on the other hand, are relatively simple tests that find most of the fetuses with Down Syndrome, but they also find some without. It is because of this that screening tests must be confirmed by a diagnostic test. In addition to these tests, a maternal blood test can suggest the presence of a fetus with Down Syndrome when levels of alphafetoprotein are lower than usual. .ucf9a0e43629887239187cf094ba52d63 , .ucf9a0e43629887239187cf094ba52d63 .postImageUrl , .ucf9a0e43629887239187cf094ba52d63 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ucf9a0e43629887239187cf094ba52d63 , .ucf9a0e43629887239187cf094ba52d63:hover , .ucf9a0e43629887239187cf094ba52d63:visited , .ucf9a0e43629887239187cf094ba52d63:active { border:0!important; } .ucf9a0e43629887239187cf094ba52d63 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ucf9a0e43629887239187cf094ba52d63 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ucf9a0e43629887239187cf094ba52d63:active , .ucf9a0e43629887239187cf094ba52d63:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ucf9a0e43629887239187cf094ba52d63 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ucf9a0e43629887239187cf094ba52d63 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ucf9a0e43629887239187cf094ba52d63 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ucf9a0e43629887239187cf094ba52d63 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ucf9a0e43629887239187cf094ba52d63:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ucf9a0e43629887239187cf094ba52d63 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ucf9a0e43629887239187cf094ba52d63 .ucf9a0e43629887239187cf094ba52d63-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ucf9a0e43629887239187cf094ba52d63:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Andrew carnegie 2 EssayIt is said that one out of every 700 babies will be infected with Down Syndrome. However, these odds may vary depending on the age of the mother. A child born to a woman 25 years of age has approximately a 1 in 1200 chance. A child born to a woman 40 years of age and over has a 1 in 120 chance. Children who are born with this condition can neither be cured with medical treatment nor can they outgrow the condition. Their life expectancy is generally reduced by 10 to 20 years. However, some people with Down Syndrome have been known to live into their 80’s. The effects of Down Syndrome can be modified by providing good medical care, good educatio n, and good parental support, all of which, unlike long ago when these children were called â€Å"mongols† and institutionalized, are provided for most children today with Down Syndrome. In conclusion to my studies I have found Down Syndrome to be a rare, yet present condition that can be found in all parts of the world. Most people might look at the individual infected and tell themselves how lucky they are , not to have to go through what most of them do. But tell me this, how many will actually take the time to better understand the situation and actually see what makes them who they are?It’s human nature to ignore or criticize the unknown, this will always be true to a certain point. Just as the truth will always remain the same, in that these people are beautiful human beings that deserve the same respect and rights as anyone else.