Lost Parthenon Piece Unearthed From Lord Elgin's Shipwreck | Artnet News

"In the summer of 2025, an excavation carried out by the underwater antiquities unit of the Greek Ministry of Culture uncovered a small piece of marble that likely once belonged to the ornamental crown of the 5th century B.C.E. temple. The small marble fragment, which measures roughly three inches wide and two inches tall, features a small water-drop shaped ornament known as a gutta and is thought to have belonged either to the horizontal beam atop the columns or from the decorative edge of the roof."

"The dives took place off the coast of Kythira, an island in southern Greece, where in 1802 a ship owned by Lord Elgin sank as it was transporting a significant portion of the Parthenon marbles and Acropolis sculptures."

"Although archaeological research into the fragment is ongoing, initial signs are promising with the Greek Ministry of Culture noting in its press release that 'the dimensions of the drop can be compared with the measurements of Anastasios Orlandos for such decorative features of the Parthenon.' Orlandos was a 20th century historian of architecture who created modern measurements for the Parthenon."

In summer 2025, Greek Ministry of Culture divers discovered a small marble fragment measuring approximately three by two inches off the coast of Kythira, an island in southern Greece. The piece features a gutta, a water-drop shaped ornament, and likely originated from either the horizontal beam atop the Parthenon's columns or the decorative roof edge. The fragment was found during an excavation of the Mentor, Lord Elgin's ship that sank in 1802 while transporting significant Parthenon marbles and Acropolis sculptures. Initial analysis suggests the fragment's dimensions match historical measurements documented by 20th-century architect historian Anastasios Orlandos. The discovery occurred as a bonus find during primary exploration of the ship's west and north sides.

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