The Caryatid and the New Acropolis Museum

Writes Nikos Lygeros

Translation : Paola Vagioni

The necessity of the return of the Caryatid in Greece is not a lost dream. The Caryatid is the spearhead for the return of the Marbles. This unique sculpture that belongs to the sextuple complex of Erechtheion, does not have a reason any more to live trapped in a luxurious prison. But only the reclamation of its return will achieve to overturn the transformation of the captive element into a missing one. Since centuries, the rape of the Marbles has not been condemned and remains a crime without punishment. The recent reasoning of the English State after the bold move of Melina Merkouri, was based on the absence of a Museum with the required specifications not of just size and architecture but also qualitative museology. The creation of the New Acropolis Museum rejects totally this argument and while its opening will reach its first year it is possible to evaluate the amazing functionality of its infrastructure. It is important to add that furthermore there is a foreseen space for the Caryatid in a single place, especially dedicated to Erechtheion with the exact representation of the location and of the structure of the six Caryatids. In consequence there is no technical difficulty that could disturb the incorporation of the sixth Caryatid in this open structure. The expertise of the Greek engineers and archaeologists has already been proven with the transportation of the exhibits from the old museum to the New Acropolis Museum. Therefore even this argument does not exist for the English Institution. Our homeland has hereafter all the typical qualifications to claim with seriousness and effectiveness the return of the Caryatid. Consequently the whole issue belongs solely in the framework of our foreign diplomacy and in the framework of the European Union. All the institutional instruments of the latter reinforce our de facto effort. It is therefore the proper time to pass to the second phase i.e. the realization of our vision with all the measures that we possess in order to restore the memory of the future which is the Caryatid, who points the path for the return of the Marbles. Our case has never been stronger, let’s utilize it then, to bring back to our homeland the light that have been stolen and to condemn barbarity.