ROME, IT~ On Wednesday, Italy unveiled hundreds of antiques that had been kidnapped from Italian territory and recovered from an antiquities trader in London. The antiquities had been stolen from Italian territory. Among the 750 pieces, which span from the 8th century BC to the medieval period, there is a bronze table with three legs that is believed to have originated in Etruria, marble busts of men that date back to the imperial age, and wall paintings that are said to have originated in the region around Mount Vesuvius.
According to a statement, the artifacts were given a value of 12 million euros ($12.79 million), which was determined by the Ministry of Culture. They were in the custody of a London company called Symes Ltd, which was owned by dealer Robin Symes and was in the process of going out of business. “The most complex moment was when the liquidators showed their availability (to return the objects), which was a willingness that implied a demonstration of illegality,” said Carabinieri Cmdr.
Vincenzo Molinese, who is in command of the carabinieri unit that is responsible for protecting cultural heritage. “The most complex moment was when the liquidators showed their availability (to return the objects), which was a willingness that implied a demonstration of illegality.” He stated that Symes did not give any documentation for the relics, but research proved that the pieces had been illegally removed from Italy and then shipped and sold in various locations around the world.
Culture Minister Gennaro Sangiuliano, who was present when the artefacts were displayed at Rome’s Castel Sant’Angelo, stated that the returned plunder drove home the need to promote lawful circulation of antiquities through loans and museum exhibitions. Sangiuliano was present when the objects were displayed. “It is imperative that we put an end to the illegal exportation of pieces of art on a global scale. “Illegality must not be tolerated in any capacity, and there is no room for wiggle room,” he stated. According to a statement released by the Carabinieri, the goods were handed up to the Italian government on the same day that an agreement was struck between Symes and Greece to return more looted property.
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