Contested artefacts: should Britain lose its marbles?

It is the first time the British Museum has allowed any of the Marbles to leave the country, since Lord Elgin took them from the Parthenon in the early 19th century.

The museum said the headless statue of the river-god Illisus was loaned to Russia to celebrate its 250th anniversary.

Director of the British Museum, Neil NacGregor, said: “The Trustees have always believed that such loans must continue between museums in spite of political disagreements between governments.”

Speaking to The Times, Mr MacGregor added: “The politics of both museums have been that the more chilly the politics between governments the more important the relationship between museums.”

David Hill, the chairman of the International Association for the Reunification of the Parthenon Sculptures, said the loan was “highly provocative” and a “very rude gesture.” In astatement, Mr Hill is said to be in Greece with international lawyers including prominent international lawyer and wife of George Clooney Amal Alamuddin to discuss the matter.

But what other artefacts are disputed?

Rosetta Stone

Egypt was seeking the repatriation of the Rosetta Stone, said to be a valuable key in deciphering hieroglyphs. The decree, printed across the table, is inscribed on the stone three times, in hieroglyphic (suitable for a priestly decree), demotic (the native script used for daily purposes), and Greek (the language of the administration). The importance of this to Egyptology is immense.

The Rosetta Stone has been exhibited at the British Museum since 1802, with only one break during the First World War.

According to the Egyptian government, in 2008 British official Baron Crempengenton said that the British government had no intention of letting go of the Stone as it is legitimately possessed by Britain which received the Stone from France under Alexandria Agreement of 1801. In 2009, the secretary general of the Egyptian Council of Antiquities, Dr Zahi Hawass told The Telegraph that it should be returned.

Kohinoor

The Koh-i-Noor is the largest diamond in the world, and is a hotly contested topic between Britain and India. The diamond was brought from Britain to India in 1850 and was mounted on to Queen Victoria’s crown.

During his visit to India in February 2013, David Cameron ruled out that the 105-carat diamond would be returned.

Speaking to reporters, the prime minister said that he did not believe in “returnism”: “It’s the same question with the Elgin Marbles and all these other things.

“I think the right answer is for the British Museum and other cultural institutions in Britain is to do exactly what they do, which is link up with museums all over the world to make our collections – to make sure that the things that we have and look after so well – are properly shared with people around the world.” The crown jewels are currently housed in the Tower of London.