The marbles question

SIR – I agree with David Abulafia (Comment, January 5), who warns against loaning the Elgin Marbles to Greece.

The trustees of the British Museum should be ashamed of themselves for disregarding the ethos of the great institution in their care. Bringing together on a single site some of the finest artefacts from every culture promotes tolerance and is a civilising influence. Pandering to the Greek government will merely be taken as a sign of weakness.

Andrew Brunt

Stockport, Cheshire

SIR – I visited the Parthenon in Athens with my parents in 1963.

Even then, the site was very rundown and neglected. A stonemason was chipping rocks away and replacing them with new stone. The old stone was being discarded and the stonemason gave my mother a piece as a souvenir.

Britain has taken good care of the Elgin Marbles since the early 1800s. However, I personally hope we return them to Greece and keep a copy in the British Museum.

Angela Miller

Wolverhampton

SIR – I suggest a fourth component for Lord Frost’s proposed Anglo-greek partnership (Comment, January 6): free viewing of the returned marbles guaranteed in perpetuity to anyone holding a British passport.

Adrian Williams

Oxford