Italy recovers hundreds of stolen antique pieces valued at 12 million euros

By Euronews en español con EFE • last update: 01/06/2023 – 10:50

Among the pieces are an Etruscan bronze table, marble busts from Imperial Roman times, and wall paintings believed to come from the Vesuvius area.

These are hundreds of antiquities that have recently been returned from the United Kingdom to Italy. This Wednesday they were exhibited at the famous Castel Sant’Angelo in Rome.

The 750 objects, many of which They date back to the 8th century BC., had been stolen from Italian territory and were currently in the possession of a London company. The return was finalized after negotiating with the British dealer Robert Symeswho possessed them illegally.

The exhibition of the objects, valued at 12 million euros, was carried out by those responsible for the investigation that has achieved their recovery, in the presence of the Minister of Culture, Gennaro Sangiuliano.

“We must defend the principle of international legality over pieces of art because they cannot fall into illegal activities or, even worse, into ‘archaeomafia’. The illegal market for works of art must be eradicated,” the minister defended in a conference press.

Among the pieces are an Etruscan bronze table, marble busts from the days of Imperial Rome, and wall paintings believed to come from the Vesuvius area. A true treasure that, long after, returns home.

On the other hand, the Greek authorities have reached a similar agreement with the company of the British collector to recover other looted works of his heritage.

Italian archaeologists are also studying the origin of “a new group of fragments” circulating on the illegal market for recovery.

A batch of 71 remains will arrive “in the next few days” to Italy from the United States, where they ended up thanks to clandestine heritage trafficking networks.

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