On Good Morning Britain the Prime Minister of Greece, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, said he would be talking with Boris Johnson about the return of the Elgin Marbles.

He said:  “I like to talk about the reunification of the marbles; I would encourage you to have one of your shows in that part of the museum.

“You will see half of them, which is what you show in a lovely modern museum right under the acropolis.

“We are advocating for the reunification of the marbles, I will be making my case to the British Prime Minister."

East London and West Essex Guardian Series: Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is advocating for the return of the Elgin Marbles (PA)Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is advocating for the return of the Elgin Marbles (PA)

The question of what the Elgin Marbles are and their history might not be known for some people, and it could be questioned why this dispute has not been solved before.

What are the Elgin Marbles?

According to the British Museum, the Elgin Marbles - or Parthenon Sculptures - are a set of classical Greek marble sculptures made under the supervision of the architect Phidias and his assistants.

They were originally part of the temple of the Parthenon and other buildings on the Acropolis of Athens.

However, it wasn't until the early 19th Century that they became known as they are today.

What is the history of the Elgin Marbles?

According to Britannica, in a period spanning from 1801 to 1812, Thomas Bruce, the 7th Earl of Elgin, had his people remove about half of the surviving sculptures of the Parthenon, and had them transported to Britain.

Elgin argued he had an official decree from the central government of the Ottoman Empire - ruler of Greece at the time - to take the sculptures.

However, this decree was never found despite and its accuracy was disputed.

In the end Elgin sold the Marbles to the British Government which were entrusted to the British Museum where they have been on display ever since.

When Greece eventually gained independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1832 they sought to reclaim their looted monuments and art.

There has been a dispute between the two Governments about the Marbles since then, with Britain currently refusing to return them.