Israel returns 22 antiquities to Greece as Osborne sees hope for Parthenon Marbles deal

Repatriation in Athens

On Tuesday, 13 October, Israel's ambassador Pninat Yanay handed 22 ancient objects to Greek Culture Minister Lina Mendoni at the Altar Hall of the National Archaeological Museum in Athens. Amir Ganor, director of the Theft Prevention Unit at the Israel Antiquities Authority, attended the ceremony. Israeli authorities had located and seized the objects before they were handed over. Mendoni said the return could open closer cooperation on protecting cultural heritage, and she framed the occasion in these words:

The return of these 22 antiquities has special significance. It is the first time Israel has returned antiquities to Greece.

What the collection contains

The group comprises 15 Attic vessels, six Corinthian vessels and one bronze statuette of a woman. Of the Attic pieces, 11 are black-figure, three are red-figure and one is black-glazed. Black-figure and red-figure are the two main styles of Athenian vase painting, named after the colour of the painted figures. The six Corinthian vessels date to the Archaic period, and the objects as a whole are dated between 700 BC and 320 BC. According to the culture ministry, the authenticity of the bronze statuette still needs further investigation. Officials did not explain how the objects were discovered in Israel or the circumstances of their removal from Greece.

Ties and the wider recovery push

The handover is the first case of its kind between Athens and Jerusalem, and the two countries' heritage authorities have begun exchanging know-how on tackling illicit trade. Yanay said the return creates the basis for further strengthening cooperation. It also adds to Athens' effort to recover its heritage. Greece's total recovered through the Manhattan district attorney's office now stands at 179 since 2022, after 15 items were handed back there in September. Relations between the two governments have so far centred chiefly on defence, energy and tourism. In August, Israel signed a $3.5bn defence agreement to build the Achilles Shield, a multi-layered air defence system in Greece, which is the largest defence deal between the two countries.

Osborne and the Parthenon Marbles

In Athens on the same day, British Museum chairman George Osborne told reporters he still hopes the two sides can settle the Parthenon Marbles dispute through a shared arrangement. He argued that both sides would have to accept they will not get everything they want. Osborne said he remained optimistic about a deal:

I'm still optimistic that we can reach an agreement.

He also conceded that not all Greeks share his view on sharing the sculptures, and he added:

I know that's not the position of everyone in Greece, and I understand that and respect that, but that is our position.

Background to the dispute

The sculptures were made between 447 and 432 BCE by the sculptor Phidias and depict gods and processions in marble relief panels, sculptures and friezes. Lord Elgin, the British ambassador to Constantinople, removed them from the Acropolis in 1801 while Greece was under Ottoman occupation, and later sold them to the British government. Greece has pursued their return since gaining independence in 1832, arguing that Elgin had no legal grounds to take them. British officials cite the British Museum Act 1963, which bars the museum from deaccessioning objects in its collection. Tensions have also been fed by reports of leaks and preservation concerns in the British Museum's galleries. In September, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis wrote an op-ed in the Guardian challenging museum director Nicholas Cullinan's praise of France's Bayeux Tapestry loan as an example of international partnership, after Cullinan had suggested a similar reciprocal exchange for the marbles.