ROME, Aug 11 (Reuters) – Italy said it had repatriated 266 ancient objects worth tens of millions of euros from the United States, where they were brought and sold in the late 1990s by an international network of smugglers.
The exhibits, the oldest of which date back to the 9th century BC, include works from the periods of Etruscan civilization, Magna Graecia and Imperial Rome.
In a statement, a special unit of the Italian police said Friday that the return of the objects was the result of cooperation between the judicial authorities of the two countries.
Images provided by the Italian Ministry of Culture show the artifacts include several painted pots, the head of a statue and coins, which were displayed at a handover ceremony earlier this week in New York.
Italian authorities say 145 pieces have been recovered in bankruptcy proceedings against British antiques dealer Robin Symes.
The other 65 artifacts belonged to the Menil Collection museum in the city of Houston, which decided to return them to Italy after police established that they came from clandestine excavations carried out at Italian archaeological sites and that they had been illegally exported.
(Written by Angelo Amante, French version Augustin Turpin, edited by Kate Entringer)
2023-08-11 10:10:34
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