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Italy displays antiquities looted from Italian territory and recovered from London dealer

Associated Press

Tags: Entertainment, World news, Education
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An undated fragment of a wall painting depicting deities and feminine figures and part of 750 archaeological finds from clandestine excavations on Italian territory is on display during a press conference in Rome, Wednesday, May 31, 2023. The set of artifacts, which can be dated overall between the eighth century BC. and the medieval period, and whose value is estimated at 12 million euros, was in possession of an English company in liquidation, Symes Ltd, attributable to Robin Symes, an important trafficker of cultural assets, and was repatriated from London on 19 May. (AP Photo/Domenico Stinellis)
A polychrome mosaic part of 750 archaeological finds from clandestine excavations on Italian territory is on display during a press conference in Rome, Wednesday, May 31, 2023. The set of artifacts, which can be dated overall between the eighth century BC. and the medieval period, and whose value is estimated at 12 million euros, was in possession of an English company in liquidation, Symes Ltd, attributable to Robin Symes, an important trafficker of cultural assets, and was repatriated from London on 19 May. (AP Photo/Domenico Stinellis)
A rare and well-preserved tripod table in foil bronze, Etruscan production of the 7th century. B.C., most probably coming from an aristocratic sepulture and part of the 750 archaeological finds from clandestine excavations on Italian territory on display during a press conference in Rome, Wednesday, May 31, 2023. The set of artifacts, which can be dated overall between the eighth century BC. and the medieval period, and whose value is estimated at 12 million euros, was in possession of an English company in liquidation, Symes Ltd, attributable to Robin Symes, an important trafficker of cultural assets, and was repatriated from London on 19 May. (AP Photo/Domenico Stinellis)
Archaeologist Sara Neri talks about the 750 archaeological finds from clandestine excavations on Italian territory on display during a press conference in Rome, Wednesday, May 31, 2023. The set of artifacts, which can be dated overall between the eighth century BC. and the medieval period, and whose value is estimated at 12 million euros, was in possession of an English company in liquidation, Symes Ltd, attributable to Robin Symes, an important trafficker of cultural assets, and was repatriated from London on 19 May. (AP Photo/Domenico Stinellis)
A woman photographs an undated fragment of a wall painting depicting deities and feminine figures and part of 750 archaeological finds from clandestine excavations on Italian territory is on display during a press conference in Rome, Wednesday, May 31, 2023. The set of artifacts, which can be dated overall between the eighth century BC. and the medieval period, and whose value is estimated at 12 million euros, was in possession of an English company in liquidation, Symes Ltd, attributable to Robin Symes, an important trafficker of cultural assets, and was repatriated from London on 19 May. (AP Photo/Domenico Stinellis)
A journalist looks at part of 750 archaeological finds from clandestine excavations on Italian territory is on display during a press conference in Rome, Wednesday, May 31, 2023. The set of artifacts, which can be dated overall between the eighth century BC. and the medieval period, and whose value is estimated at 12 million euros, was in possession of an English company in liquidation, Symes Ltd, attributable to Robin Symes, an important trafficker of cultural assets, and was repatriated from London on 19 May. (AP Photo/Domenico Stinellis)
An undated fragment of a wall painting depicting deities and feminine figures and part of 750 archaeological finds from clandestine excavations on Italian territory is on display during a press conference in Rome, Wednesday, May 31, 2023. The set of artifacts, which can be dated overall between the eighth century BC. and the medieval period, and whose value is estimated at 12 million euros, was in possession of an English company in liquidation, Symes Ltd, attributable to Robin Symes, an important trafficker of cultural assets, and was repatriated from London on 19 May. (AP Photo/Domenico Stinellis)
Italian Culture Minister Gennaro Sangiuliano, second from right, is flanked by Greek Ambassador to Italy Eleni Sourani, left, and Carabinieri General Vincenzo Molinese, as he speaks about 750 stolen archaeological finds from clandestine excavations on Italian territory on display during a press conference in Rome, Wednesday, May 31, 2023. The set of artifacts, which can be dated overall between the eighth century BC. and the medieval period, and whose value is estimated at 12 million euros, was in possession of an English company in liquidation, Symes Ltd, attributable to Robin Symes, an important trafficker of cultural assets, and was repatriated from London on 19 May. More artifacts, also stolen from Greece, are expected to be restituted. (AP Photo/Domenico Stinellis)
Archaeologist Sara Neri talks about the 750 archaeological finds from clandestine excavations on Italian territory on display during a press conference in Rome, Wednesday, May 31, 2023. The set of artifacts, which can be dated overall between the eighth century BC. and the medieval period, and whose value is estimated at 12 million euros, was in possession of an English company in liquidation, Symes Ltd, attributable to Robin Symes, an important trafficker of cultural assets, and was repatriated from London on 19 May. (AP Photo/Domenico Stinellis)

Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved

An undated fragment of a wall painting depicting deities and feminine figures and part of 750 archaeological finds from clandestine excavations on Italian territory is on display during a press conference in Rome, Wednesday, May 31, 2023. The set of artifacts, which can be dated overall between the eighth century BC. and the medieval period, and whose value is estimated at 12 million euros, was in possession of an English company in liquidation, Symes Ltd, attributable to Robin Symes, an important trafficker of cultural assets, and was repatriated from London on 19 May. (AP Photo/Domenico Stinellis)

ROME – Italy on Wednesday displayed hundreds of antiquities that had been looted from Italian territory and were recovered from a London antiquities dealer.

The 750 objects, which date from the 8th century B.C. and the medieval period, include an Etruscan three-legged bronze table, marble busts of men from the imperial age, and wall paintings that are believed to be from the area of Mount Vesuvius.

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The Culture Ministry valued the items at 12 million euro ($12.79 million), according to a statement.

They were in the possession of a London company in liquidation, Symes Ltd, owned by dealer Robin Symes.

“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 charge of the carabinieri unit protecting cultural heritage.

He said Symes didn’t provide documentation for the artifacts, but research showed the items had been illegally excavated from Italy and then exported and sold around the world.

Culture Minister Gennaro Sangiuliano, who was on hand for the display of the objects at Rome’s Castel Sant’Angelo, said the returned loot hammered home the need to promote legal circulation of antiquities through loans and museum exhibitions.

“We must stop international illegality in the trafficking of works of art. Illegality must not be allowed and no margin must be given,” he said.

The items were returned to Italy on the same day an agreement was signed between Symes and Greece to return other looted items, the carabinieri said in a statement.

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