Some 600 antiquities stolen from Italy and returned with the help of authorities in the US went on display in Rome on Tuesday in a repatriation valued at around €60 million. The treasures, which had been smuggled out of Italy and sold illicitly in the US, were presented at the headquarters of the Central Institute for Restoration. The artefacts, ranging from statues and vases to paintings and bronzes, include archaeological pieces dating from between the ninth century BC and the second century AD, many of which were stolen by tombaroli (tomb raiders) in central-southern Italy.
In addition to archaeological sites, the culture ministry said the repatriated works of art were stolen from churches, museums and private homes before being trafficked out of Italy to the US. Presentate oggi, #28maggio , all’Istituto Centrale per il Restauro, 600 opere d’arte rimpatriate dagli Stati Uniti dai @_Carabinieri_ TPC, dal valore economico stimato in circa 60 milioni di euro. Tutte le info: https://t.
co/D4X6ciTezA #MiC #CarabinieriTPC pic.twitter.com/ZyWYP78Q7D — Ministero della Cultura (@MiC_Italia) May 28, 2024 The artefacts were recovered thanks to the efforts of Italy's Carabinieri art squad - the Command for the Protection of Cultural Heritage (TPC) together with the New York County district attorney's office and the US Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
Hailing the work of the Carabinieri and US authorities, Italy's culture minister Gennaro Sangiuliano said: "Today is a bea.
