Return to the Parthenon - Graham Bishop - Bog

During a violent storm off the Greek island of Kythira in 1802 disaster struck the brig HMS Mentor. 17 crates of priceless sculptures hacked off the Parthenon on the orders of Lord Elgin and on their way to England crashed to the bottom of the sea.Two years later after a long and difficult operation, all the scuptures were salvaged and taken to England. Or were they? Did the islanders themselves all those years ago rescue some of the precious sculptures and conceal them in caves on the island desperate to save a small part of their proud heritage from the plundering English aristocrat? Rumours persist and now a suspicious group of Italian divers has suddenly arrived to search the wreck. Who gave them permission and what are they looking for? Commissaire Pierre Rousseau and his Greek colleagues investigate. Returning a hoard of lost sculptures from the Parthenon to the new Acropolis Museum in Athens would create a sensation. Or is it all just a massive publicity stunt to attract more tourists to the island?