Author, Victoria Hislop, launched her latest book 'The Figurine' last year in the UK, and on the 25th of January this year, the book, translated into Greek, and entitled 'To Eidolio', was launched at the Acropolis Museum. The Museum’s Director, Nikos Stampoulidis, introduced the book before Victoria was interviewed by Alexis Papahelas, Editor-in-Chief of Kathimerini.

Victoria Hislop joined BCRPM in March 2021 but it feels as though she has been a supporter forever.

Press coverage reflected Greece's love for this author as much as the love this author has for Greece. Kathimerini's article post Victoria's book launch in Athens explains that 'The Figurine' (published in Greek by Psichogios), addresses the issue of antiquity theft.

"I think the extent of the looting of antiquities and the long and complex chain of intermediaries who profit from it really surprised me. And, of course, the lack of scruples of those who have benefited, even the famous auction houses who in the past have deliberately overlooked the “history” of how certain objects were acquired,” explains Victoria.

"There are some very notable examples of illegality that are better known than figurine thefts" continues Victoria. "The Parthenon Marbles for example, which is a huge issue for Greece – and should be for the British as well. I firmly believe that the sculptures should be returned to Athens and reunited with the others in the beautiful Acropolis Museum. And on this there are developments. There is dialogue between Greece and the chairman of the British Museum. But for now, the British Museum is not going to change its fundamental belief that the sculptures “belong” to it. They are currently looking for a new director and we hope it is someone with understanding as far as the division of these sculptures is concerned. What is really required is for the museum to acknowledge that they acquired stolen property when they bought the sculptures from Lord Elgin. And for two centuries they have been endlessly repeating to themselves, and to their visitors, the same lie: that the sultan gave official permission for Elgin to take the sculptures. I believe that one day they will be returned, but not until we have a change of government, a more enlightened one. We still have the government that brought about Brexit and who believe in some kind of superiority of Britain over the world – and that we have a right to own these works of art. This is not an open-minded position."

To read the full article, follow the link here. To watch the promo video for the book's Greek version, follow the link to YouTube.

George Dalaras, Victoria Hslop, Nikos Stampolidis and Anna Dalaras

On 30 January another interview was published, following on from Victoria's presentation at the Thessaloniki Concert Hall as part of the second cycle of events "Writers of the world travel to the Concert Hall". Victoria is quoted: "If something is stolen from another country, it must return to its home . Already countless things from other major museums in the world have been returned to the right place. Although the British Museum is conservative, I think it should open its eyes, and UK politicians should listen to society", referring to the UK opinion polls showing that a majority continue to support for the reunification of the Parthenon Marbles.

Thessaloniki Concert Hall, the second cycle of events: "Writers of the world travel to the Concert Hall"

Victoria agreed with Dr. Papakostas, who described antiquities as "rape of cultural heritage" and explained how much historical information is lost when artefacts are removed from their place of origin. Victoria Hislop admitted that it was only five years ago that she realized how important archaeology is, and she estimated that many people still do not understand it.

Dr. Papakostas in conversation with VIictoria Hislop

Tina Mandilara also interviwed Victoria on 02 February for Proto Thema. "In addition to the Greek language, which she learned by taking intensive lessons, Hislop speaks with passion and love for Greece that, as one review wrote, "overflows through her every word." Especially her new voluminous - almost 600 pages - book "The Idol"  literally runs through the entire spectrum of Greek History, since it starts from the days of the military coup of '67 and then moves on to present day Greece."

Tina addresses with Victoria the plight of the Parthenon Marbles: 'Regarding the argument that PM Sunak refused to meet PM Mitsotakis after the Greek prime minister's interview with the BBC, Hislop counters that "it is nonsense. How was it possible for the Greek prime minister not to discuss such an issue and, even more, how is it possible to omit it from the agenda? It doesn't make any sense." Of course, she says that this negative outcome  was ultimately for good since "we who fight for the return of the Parthenon Marbles were also heard. We sincerely thank Sunak for what he did in that respect." Concludes Victoria Hislop.

“For two years now, we have enjoyed positive discussions with the Chair of the British Museum on a possible new partnership that brings the two parts of the sculptures together, as one, in Athens,” Greek Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis said in his message during a visit to New York.

“Let me be clear, we will insist on their reunification for many reasons, but one, in my mind, is the most important. Because only by being seen together, in situ, in the shadow of the Acropolis, can we truly appreciate their immense cultural importance for Western civilization,” he added.

To read the artcle in Kathimerini, follow the link here, and to watch the address by PM Mitsotakis, the link here.

A centaur head, along with another head,a Lapith, from the Parthenon temple and a horse’s hoof, came to Denmark in 1688 as a gift to King Christian V, and have remained in Denmark. The three pieces are exhibited at the National Museum in Copenhagen.

Calls to reunite these pieces have not yielded a positive response from Denmark as the Danish museum’s director, Dr. Rane Willerslev, feels that the three fragments on display in Copenhagen are of “great importance for Danish cultural history and for understanding our interaction with the world around us at a time when democracy was taking shape.”

Professor of Anthropology, and Director of the National Museum of Denmark,  Dr. Rane Willerslev

The mystery of why parts of the centaur head are coated with a thin brown film, as are several other marble fragments from the Parthenon continues. The scientific investigation's conclusion is that the brown film are interesting, and remain unexplained.

There are two different brown layers with different chemical compositions, and it is likely that they have different origins. This could suggest that someone applied paint or a conservation treatment to the sculptures. Yet, since the traces of such substances have not been found, the brown film remains a mystery.

Visit the National Museum of Denmark's site to view the Lapith head, and the centaur head.

Audio tour of the Acropolis Museum exhibition "Signs. Personifications and Allegories from Antiquity to the Present Day". Personalised concepts and meanings in human or animal form and allegorical stories. Alll these, along with others, can be visited and enjoyed at the Acropolis Museum's exhibition "Signs. Personifications and Allegories from Antiquity to the Present" which runs until 14 April 2024.

The exhibition consists of 164 works of small, medium and large size from different materials and eras, coming from 55 Museums and Institutions in Greece and abroad, as well as works by individuals. The curator of the exhibition and General Director of the Acropolis Museum, Prof. Nikolaos Stampolidis, invites you to an audio tour, a journey from Antiquity to Byzantium, the Renaissance and Modern Art.

Searching in each section of the exhibition hall the corresponding QR code – Time, Nature, Deities, Man and Human Nature, Institutions, Allegories – you will discover vases, reliefs, statues, coins, ceramic and clay shells, manuscripts and books, frescoes, icons and unique paintings, from several Museums of Italy and the Vatican (Musei Capitolini, Florence, N. A. Museo di Napoli, Gallerie Uffizi and Borghese, etc.), the Prado Museum of Madrid, the British Museum, the Museum of Art History of Vienna, the National Archaeological Museum, the Byzantine and Christian Museum, the Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki, etc.

You can also participate in one of the weekly guided tours of the exhibition guided by the Museum's Archaeologists, which take place in Greek every Tuesday and Thursday at 12:00 and every Saturday and Sunday at 10:00 and 12:00, while in English every Tuesday and Thursday at 10:00. Reservations are made at http://events.theacropolismuseum.gr

As you leave, you may wish to visit the shop, where you will find beautiful souvenirs, among others from the series of objects "Spring", inspired by Flora, a fresco of the 1st century. A.D. from Pompeii to the National Archaeological Museum of Naples and respectively the series "Theros", inspired by part of a mosaic floor with the personification of the Ocean from the Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki. The exhibition is accompanied by the scientific catalogue of the objects, which is available in a simple and hardcover version, and in English also.

"Spring", inspired by Flora, a fresco of the 1st century. A.D. from Pompeii to the National Archaeological Museum of Naples

"Theros", inspired by part of a mosaic floor with the personification of the Ocean from the Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki

Helena Smith writes in the Guardian about the Palace of Aigai, the largest surviving classical Greek building, after 16-year reconstruction completed.

For historians inside and outside Greece the new palace does something better still: refocus attention away from the classical age of Pericles in Athens to the Macedonian dynasty of northern Greece and achievements of Philip and Alexander.

“History is always about what we focus on,” said the British historian and broadcaster Michael Wood, speaking from London. “And this focuses our attention on the incredible events that began there. This small, provincial, militaristic kingdom would be the catalyst for the spread of Greek culture and Aigai the launch pad for Alexander the Great’s adventure in history, his expedition to Asia and conquest of half the known world.”

If the Parthenon represented the peak of the classical age, the royal metropolis conjured the beginning of the Hellenistic age, one that would last for hundreds of years and be felt as far as Afghanistan and India.

But there was something else, said Wood, who retraced the young warrior king’s epic journey through deserts, mountain ranges, rivers and plains from Greece to the north-west frontier of Pakistan and India in the 1990s.

The palace’s reconstruction had shown, yet again, that like the Parthenon marbles, great historical monuments have “an integrity” best seen united in their natural landscape. “The modern Greek state, as it should be, is proving to be a pre-eminent guardian of its ancient Greek culture,” said Wood. “What the palace also does is draw attention to the fact that the fifth-century sculptures should all be in the same place, back in Athens.”

Read Helena Smith's article in the Guardian, here.

Letter in the Financial Times 10 January, 2024: Give Parthenon marbles a one-way ticket home

One of your predictions for 2024 (FT Report, December 30) is that Britain will return the Parthenon marbles to Greece, albeit via a loan agreement rather than a full return.

You are probably right but I don’t think it is so much a question of if, but only when the marbles will eventually return to their home country. However, the idea of a temporary loan is not the solution.

The sculptures are far too fragile to be shipped between the two countries on a frequent basis. It is a forgone conclusion that it will have to be a one-way ticket.

The Elgin marbles have been well cared for by the British Museum but circumstances have changed. It is now widely acknowledged that the new Acropolis Museum is the appropriate home for the sculptures. This is also backed by a large majority of the British population.

Put it another way. The Parthenon marbles have been on loan to Britain for more than a century and now the time has come to return them to their country of origin.

Angus Neill Art Dealer, London