New York: 29 Greek antiquities seized & repatriated (photos)

Another stroke against antiquities smuggling has been achieved by the dynamic squad of Greek-American Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Matthew Bogdanos, successful collaboration with the Greek Ministry of Culture, done the seizure of 29 antiquities dating from the Final Neolithic play (5000–4000 BC) to the Late Hellenistic play (2nd/1st period BC). These artifacts were handed implicit to Greek authorities contiguous to beryllium returned to their spot of origin.

Among them basal out:

• Two chromatic axe heads (5000–4000 BC),
• A Minoan agate seal chromatic depicting an ibex (3100 BC),
• Three marble Early Cycladic bowls (2700–2400 BC),
• A spouted Early Cycladic jug (2700–2300 BC),
• A Mycenaean stirrup jar (1200–110 BC),
• Two bronze loop fittings from Western Macedonia (7th period BC),
• A bronze furnishings limb successful the signifier of a Siren, enactment of a Laconian store (around 600 BC),
• A marble kouros caput (mid-6th period BC),
• A bronze attachment successful the signifier of the Gorgon Medusa, astir apt from a Corinthian store (late 6th period BC),
• A freestanding coiled bronze snake (5th period BC),
• A golden necklace pendant (5th–4th period BC),
• Two robust sacrificial knives (5th–4th period BC),
• Three metallic conical cups (around 300 BC), and
• A bronze fitting with the bust of Atalanta (2nd–1st period BC).

After months of intensive investigation, and with the assistance of the Documentation and Protection of Cultural Property Directorate of the Ministry of Culture, the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office managed to find grounds linking the amerciable root and trafficking of these antiquities to the New York assemblage Fortuna Fine Arts. Associates of the assemblage were arrested successful 2020 for fraud and falsifying the provenance of artworks.

It is noteworthy that retired of the 29 seized objects, 18 had ended up successful the collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art successful New York. This information demonstrates however easy illicit antiquities tin beryllium funneled adjacent into the world’s astir prestigious museums and serves arsenic a stark informing astir the effectiveness of provenance power mechanisms successful museums worldwide. However, owed to the adjacent practice developed successful caller years betwixt the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Greek Ministry of Culture, the repatriation process was facilitated.

“Every repatriation of Greek antiquities is an highly important lawsuit and vindicates the argumentation of the Ministry of Culture successful caller years. Greece is present internationally recognized arsenic a state that has placed the combat against the illicit trafficking of taste spot astatine the forefront of its policies—an contented straight linked to organized transgression and terrorism. This was besides evident astatine Mondiacult, the planetary league connected taste argumentation organized by UNESCO in Barcelona,” stated Minister of Culture Lina Mendoni. She added: “The caller occurrence of the Antiquities Trafficking Unit, led by Matthew Bogdanos, and the Department of Homeland Security Investigations fills america with joyousness and optimism. I person often said, and volition proceed to emphasize, that the combat against the illicit trafficking of taste goods requires beardown partnerships and hard work. We are fortunate to person built and maintained these collaborations and to spot tangible results. Warm acknowledgment to everyone who contributed to the instrumentality of these 29 antiquities.”

For his part, Matthew Bogdanos, caput of the Antiquities Trafficking Unit and Assistant District Attorney successful Manhattan, meaningfully stressed: “This occurrence is owed to my colleagues, some successful the Antiquities Trafficking Unit and successful the Greek Ministry of Culture, who consistently and willingly lend to the documentation of these objects. We proceed with determination — we bash not rest, we bash not delay. These are the people, this is the place, this is the clip for the combat against the illicit trafficking of taste property.”