British Museum loans one of Elgin Marbles to Russia

LONDON, Dec. 5 (UPI) -- One of the Elgin Marbles, ancient sculptures in the British Museum whose return has been demanded by Greece, has been lent to a Russian museum.

A headless sculpture of the god Ilissos has been loaned to St. Petersburg's State Hermitage Museum to display for several weeks. It is the first time any of the 2,500-year old marble sculptures, taken from Greece in the early 1800s by the Earl of Elgin to Britain, have left Britain.

Greece maintains the sculptures, also known as the Parthenon Marbles, were illegally removed while the country was under Turkish occupation, and has long sought their return.

The Greek media saw the announcement as a show of defiance by Britain.

"The British Museum not only refuses to return the Parthenon Marbles to Greece, but, in a move interpreted as a show of strength, has decided to lend one of them to the Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg," the Greek newspaper Ta Nea said Friday.

British newspapers, including The Guardian, questioned why artwork was being loaned to Russia at a time Britain has imposed economic sanctions against Russia.

British Museum Director Neil MacGregor told BBC News the loan is "a very big moment."

"This is the first time ever that the people of Russia have been able to see this great moment of European art and European thought," he said.