Symbolism and Controversies: Parthenon Sculpture

Neil MacGregor's telling of the story of humanity through individual objects at the British Museum. This week he is looking at the emergence of powerful new forces across the globe around the 5th Century BC, from Confucius in China to Cyrus in Persia.

Today he looks at the emotionally charged sculptures that were made for the Parthenon in Athens. Carved out of marble around 440BC these beautiful figures continue to generate huge controversy around the world for the fact that they remain in London and have not been returned to Greece. In today's programme the British Museum's director acknowledges the political controversy of the Elgin Marbles (named after the British Lord who carried them off) but concentrates on their artistic story and on exploring the ancient Greek world that created them. He describes a culture besotted with the myths and imagery of battle. The Greek archaeologist Olga Palagia and the classicist Mary Beard help conjure up the extraordinary city of antiquity.