Many were discovered by foreign-led excavation teams (or looters), without whom the item would never have been found in the first place. Some objects were plundered, but some traded for, some given as gifts. Title: Fragment of a terracotta calyx-krater (bowl for mixing wine and water) Artist: Attributed to Euphronios. The past is messy, confused and how we have arrived at today is neither simple, nor black and white. She claims, “It would be ludicrous to suggest every tiny pot and statuette across the continent needs to be re-litigated” – but that is precisely the issue if someone else has a claim to it, the precedent of the Elgin Marbles, if returned, strengthens the case for repatriation at the request of the claimant, not diminishes it. When listing the arguments against the repatriation of the marbles, she missed the strongest one: repatriation is a Pandora’s Box and will have unforeseen and unpleasant consequences, due to the complexities of a murky past. Sir, – There is a flaw in Finn McRedmond's argument on who history belongs to, as exemplified by the Elgin Marbles debate, and how Ireland is not immune from this issue ( Opinion, November 25th).
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