Ancient Kydonia

Every time some soil in the main town of Hania is dug up, whether it's for sewage, pipe or cable laying, or construction of houses and large buildings, ancient artefacts, or maybe some foundations of an ancient house or building are discovered, which show the history of the area and add to our knowledge of what life was like for the citizens of the town from past centuries. These digs are found in the area of Koum Kapi. One of the ancient names given to Hania was Kydonia, hence the area has been called "Ancient Kydonia" (which by the way is also the word in Greek for quince).

A year ago, the NZ Parliament called for Britain to return the Elgin marbles to Greece, which was welcomed by the NZ Parthenon marbles committee.

Boy, those Greeks cause so much trouble

For the loss of ancient marble

From the site of Parthenona -

You would think it was a mecca
Of some kind - but wait a minute;

To get in you need a ticket

To admire Greek works of art

Which will touch your soul and heart.

To see the Doric columns high

Rise above the clear blue sky

Like old stumps from olive trees.

But what is missing? It's the frieze!

Yet still they stand proud on the hill

Where St Paul preached goodwill to all,

Denuded of their jewel atop

When Elgin heaved a mighty chop!

Lord Elgin went to so much trouble

To turn the frieze into mere rubble,

To gather and store the ancient stone

So he could sell it off at home.

But no one wanted it for money,

So he bequeathed it to the country

Who thought: "Good oh, now we have something

That will look good with Egypt's mummy
And Chinese jade and Turkish weapons

We chanced upon in foreign lands.

But where to put them - let us build

The best museum in the world!"

And so they started scrubbing white

The marbles so they shone in light.
Alas! Too late they re-a-lised

The marbles looked like dynamite
Had ruined their outer appearance

And showed signs that they were to perish

In that stately grand museum

Where all go if they want to see them.

And now those rabble-rousing Grecos

Are saying that the marble curios

Do not deserve to stand alone

With all the rest of them at home
Under the clear blue sky of Greece -

Let's have them back! Return them, please!

This post is dedicated to the late Zisis (Bruce) Blades.

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