At the beginning of the 19th Century, Lord Elgin traveled to Greece on an artistic and architectural exhibition, originally planning to produce plaster casts and drawings of the buildings and antiquities.

While Elgin’s group was in Athens, they eventually decided to procure the marbles to take back to Britain. The men ended up taking a number of sculptures and artworks from the building—a decision that was controversial even at the time. Lord Byron famously wrote a poem lamenting the removal of the artifacts, saying the walls of the Parthenon had been defaced. Elgin defended his actions and claimed the Ottoman officials in charge of Athens during the time of his expedition gave him permission for removal.

In all, Elgin’s group removed twenty-one pieces of the pedimental sculptures, half of the Parthenon’s frieze, and fifteen metopes. The Parthenon was not the only building on the Acropolis with sculptures removed, however. Parts of the Temple of Athena Nike, the Erechtheion, and the Propylaia were also taken.

In all, the different names for this collection of sculptures reflect a long, controversial, and painful history. Considering the debate is still ongoing between the Greek and UK governments, it is prudent to refer to the sculptures in a way that respects this history. The Parthenon marbles or Parthenon sculptures is a name that reflects the origin of the artworks and gives a nod to the debate surrounding their rightful ownership.