High hopes as Italy lends Greece Parthenon piece

An Italian museum is lending a fragment of Parnon Sculptures to Greece, in what both sides hope will become a permanent return that might encourage ors to send ir own pieces of works back, too.

Sicily’s regional archaeological museum said Wednesday it h signed an agreement with Acropolis Museum in Ans for a once-renewable, four-year loan of small white marble piece it has, in exchange for a loan of a statue and vase.

But ultimate aim, Sicily’s A. Salinas Archaeological Museum said in a statement, is “indefinite return” of fragment to Ans.

About half surviving 5th century B.C. sculptures that decorated Parnon temple on Acropolis are in British Museum in London, which has long resisted Greek appeals for ir return.

But small fragments are also held in or European museums.

piece is right foot of a draped figure of Artemis, Greek goddess of hunt, originally located on eastern side of a 160-meter (520-foot) sculpted frieze that ran around temple.

It came to Palermo by way of a 19th century English consul in Sicily, Robert Fagan, though it remains unknown how he acquired it.

After Fagan died, his widow sold fragment to University of Palermo’s Regio museum, which became A. Salinas regional museum, statement said.

statement quoted Greek authorities as praising initiative in hope that it encourages British Museum to return its sculptures, which were taken from Parnon by Lord Elgin, British ambassor to Ottoman Empire, in early 19th century.

sculptures - 17 figures from building's pediments and part of frieze -- have been subject of a long dispute between Britain and Greece, which has renewed its bid to bring marbles home.

Britain maintains that Elgin acquired sculptures legally when Greece was ruled by Ottomans.

Greek government says y were stolen and wants m returned for display in Acropolis Museum that opened in 2009.

Italy's fragment has been loaned to Ans in past, but for short periods of time.

Sicily’s regional authorities have initiated talks with Culture Ministry to make loan permanent, putting it on agenda of a ministry committee that handles such returns, statement said.

Italy has been at forefront of international efforts to recover antiquities that were looted from its territory and ended up in museums and private collections around world.

It has also been on returning end of restitution market when it finds antiquities or artworks that were illegally brought into country.

In exchange for receiving foot fragment, Acropolis museum is loaning Palermo museum a 5th century B.C., marble statue of Ana and a terracotta amphora in linear, geometric style that dates from mid-8th century B.C., according to statement.