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A fragment of the Parthenon frieze from Sicily in Greece

2022-01-05T10:38:44.218Z


In exchange, two beautiful finds from the Acropolis Athens Museum to the Salinas Regional Archaeological Museum Palermo (ANSA)


It is the foot of a Goddess, Peitho or Artemis,

with the marvelous draperies of her robe to be depicted in

the fragment of the Parthenon frieze

that flies from Sicily to Greece thanks to a cultural agreement of extraordinary international importance, which puts an important piece in a open discussion. The agreement provides for the transfer to Athens of the "

Fagan Artifact

", currently in the A. Salinas Regional Archaeological Museum. Two important finds from the Acropolis Museum will arrive from Athens: a headless statue of Athena, from the end of the 5th century BC, and a geometric amphora from the first half of the 8th century BC ANSA anticipates the details of the agreement.

A gesture, wanted by the regional councilor for Cultural Heritage and Sicilian Identity, Alberto Samonà, shared with the Greek Minister of Culture and Sport, Lina Mendoni, which has a strongly symbolic value for Hellenic culture:

Sicily, in this way, in fact, is a forerunner on the theme of the return to Greece of the Parthenon finds

, giving its decisive contribution to the debate that has been going on for some time at a world level. The agreement, born from the fruitful dialogue between the Musumeci Government - with the commissioner Samonà - and the Government of Athens - with the Minister Mendoni - was signed by the Regional Archaeological Museum “A. Salinas "of Palermo and the Acropolis Museum of Athens, pursuant to article 67 of our Code of Cultural Heritage and Landscape, which provides

the multi-year transfer and exchange of archaeological finds

between the two prestigious museum institutions, respectively directed by Caterina Greco and Nicholaos Stampolidis. Signed according to Italian law, the agreement provides that for a period of 4 years, renewable only once, the Salinas transfers the fragment belonging to the Parthenon, currently preserved in Palermo as part of the consul's archaeological collection, to the Acropolis Museum in Athens. English Robert Fagan, purchased by the Royal University of Palermo in 1820. In exchange, two very important finds from the collections of the Acropolis Museum will arrive in Palermo, each for a period of four years:

of an important headless statue of Athena, datable to the end of the 5th century BC, and of a geometric amphora from the first half of the 8th century BC. two museums on themes of cultural interest of international scope

.

   "The return to Athens of this important artifact of the Parthenon - underlines

the Regional Councilor for Cultural Heritage and Sicilian Identity,

Alberto Samonà

- goes in the direction of building a Europe of Culture that has its roots in our history and in our identity: that Europe of peoples which sees us deeply united with Greece, as both bearers of ancient and universal values. And after all, the many and meaningful testimonies of Greek culture present in Sicily are the confirmation of an ancient and profound bond. Thanks to the Musumeci government, Sicily returns to the center of a Mediterranean dimension, in which the common future passes through dialogue and relations with the countries bordering the "Mare nostrum". The collaboration agreement with the Acropolis Museum of Athens will also allow us to set up common cultural initiatives of great depth and international relevance that will give the right visibility to our Region ”.

"I would like to express - underlines

the Minister of Culture and Sport of the Greek Republic, Lina Mendoni

- my deepest gratitude to the Sicilian Regional Council and its President


Nello Musumeci, as well as to the Regional Councilor for Cultural Heritage and Identity of Sicily Alberto Samonà. Our collaboration so that the fragment of the Eastern Frieze of the Parthenon, now kept at the "A. Salinas" Regional Archaeological Museum in Palermo, can be exhibited for a long period at the Acropolis Museum together with its natural context, has been


flawless and constructive. Above all, I wish here to express my gratitude for the tireless and systematic efforts of the Sicilian Government and of the Councilor Alberto Samonà for having undertaken the procedure towards the legal agreement under the Code of Cultural Heritage of the Italian Republic, so that this fragment can definitively return. in Athens. From November 2020, when


the discussions between us began, until today - continues Minister Mendoni - Councilor Samonà has always declared in every way her love for Greece and its culture. Overall, the intention and aspiration of the Sicilian government to permanently repatriate the Palermo Frieze to Athens, does nothing but reconfirm and strengthen even more the cultural and


long-standing brotherhood of the two regions, as well as the de facto recognition of a common Mediterranean identity.

In this context, the Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Sport begins with great pleasure its collaboration with the Regional Archaeological Museum “A.

Salinas ”in Palermo, not only for the display of important antiquities from the Acropolis Museum there, but also


for future general actions and initiatives.

With this gesture, the Government of Sicily indicates the way for the definitive return of the Parthenon Sculptures to Athens, the city that created them ".


“I would like to express my utmost satisfaction - adds

Caterina Greco, Director of the A. Salinas Regional Archaeological Museum

- to achieve a goal that I had set myself since my arrival at the Salinas museum two years ago. Bringing back to Athens the fragment of the Parthenon frieze that Walter Amelung recognized only in 1893 as an original attic mistakenly confused among the marbles recovered by Fagan during his excavations in Tindari in 1808, means not only returning to Greece a piece of its most illustrious archaeological history, but also shedding new light on the complex and fascinating story of nineteenth-century collecting, which distinguishes our oldest museums and of which the testimony of the presence in Palermo of the "Fagan plate" represents one of the most intriguing episodes ".


"The landing of the Palermo Frieze at the Acropolis Museum - underlines

the director of the Acropolis Museum in Athens, Nikolaos Stampolidis

- it is extremely important above all for the way in which the Government of the Sicilian Region, today led by President Nello Musumeci, wanted to make it possible to reunite the Fagan Frieze with those preserved in the Acropolis Museum. This gesture, already so significant in itself, is further intensified by the will of the Sicilian Regional Government, represented here by the Councilor for Culture and Heritage of the Sicilian Identity Alberto Samonà, who wanted, within a relationship of brotherhood and of common cultural roots that unite Sicily with Hellas, to undertake at the Italian Ministry of Culture the intergovernmental procedure to de-emanate the Palermitan Frieze, so that it can remain permanently sine die in Athens,at the Acropolis Museum its natural place. In this way it will be our beloved sister Sicily to open the way and to indicate the way for the return to Greece also for the other Parthenon friezes kept today in other European cities and above all in London and at

British Museum.

This will, which represents a shining example of civilization and brotherhood for all peoples, is also married in a very happy and emblematic cultural union with the decision of 29 September 2021 expressed by UNESCO regarding the return to Greece of the sculptures found at the London Museum ".

Source: ansa

All life articles on 2022-01-05

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