January 27, 2016
Switzerland returns looted Etruscan treasure to Italy
Its great to see that Switzerland is finally doing something to clear up the murky world of artefacts smuggled via the Free Port in Geneva.
An Etruscan sarcophagus is among stolen ancient artworks that Switzerland has returned to Italy
From:
The Local (Switzerland)
Switzerland returns looted Etruscan treasures to Italy
Published: 14 Jan 2016 16:18 GMT+01:00Switzerland has returned to Italy 45 boxes of ancient Etruscan art stolen during illegal excavations and stashed away for more than 15 years, including two rare sarcophaguses, authorities said on Thursday.
“The antiques were given back to Italian authorities today,” a statement from Geneva’s public prosecutor’s office said.
Italy had asked the wealthy Alpine country for assistance in 2014 to track down a stolen Etruscan sarcophagus that was believed to have transited through the toll and customs-free zone that makes up the Geneva Free Ports.“The search led by prosecutor Claudio Mascotto … at the Geneva Free Ports revealed an unexpected treasure,” the statement said.
Two rare Etruscan earthenware sarcophaguses, with beautifully sculptured lids representing a reclined man and woman, were found in a warehouse at the Free Ports, along side “many other invaluable archaeological remains”.
“The prosecutor ordered the seizure of the sarcophaguses first, then extended the decision to all items, considering their suspected illegal provenance,” it said.
Among the items were delicately painted bas-reliefs, vases and fragments of decorated vases, frescoes, heads, busts, and several other votive or religious pieces, it added.
The mysterious, seafaring Etruscan civilization ruled swathes of the Mediterranean until it was swallowed up by Rome in the first century BC.
The antiques had been brought to Geneva by a former high-profile British art dealer, previously linked to trading looted antiquities, the prosecutor’s office said, without divulging the art dealer’s name.
The artefacts had remained stored in the warehouse for more than 15 years, registered under the name of an offshore company, it said.
An Italian expert had concluded that the artefacts came from illegal excavations mainly carried out in the Umbria and Lazio regions, and Italian investigators linked some of the items to so-called tombaroli, or tomb raiders, they already had in their sights.
- UK accused of selling looted treasures to pay tax bill : June 6, 2010
- Are some more of the artefacts looted by Giacomo Medici up for sale? : November 16, 2010
- How wikiloot could help to shut down the archaeological underworld : July 23, 2012
- Geneva – hub of the looted artefacts market : January 3, 2013
- Swiss dealer returns ancient vase to Greece : April 22, 2008
- Greece recovers ancient statue from Switzerland : June 15, 2007
- Italian Getty case is “not just about the Getty” : June 26, 2005
- Getty offers to return three disputed artefacts : October 8, 2005
AnnaAnthro said,
01.27.16 at 2:07 pm
RT @elginism: Blog post: Switzerland Etruscan treasures smuggled via Geneva Free Port to Italy https://t.co/fCxxFgLMt6
SantiTola said,
01.27.16 at 2:28 pm
RT @elginism: Blog post: Switzerland Etruscan treasures smuggled via Geneva Free Port to Italy https://t.co/fCxxFgLMt6
alay_jca said,
01.27.16 at 2:30 pm
RT @elginism: Blog post: Switzerland Etruscan treasures smuggled via Geneva Free Port to Italy https://t.co/fCxxFgLMt6
Nicky Artemi said,
01.27.16 at 2:41 pm
Nicky Artemi liked this on Facebook.
Gregory Cole said,
01.27.16 at 5:26 pm
Gregory Cole liked this on Facebook.
Maddie Frith said,
01.27.16 at 11:41 pm
Maddie Frith liked this on Facebook.
Alice Baker said,
01.28.16 at 12:58 am
great article…
Alice Baker said,
01.28.16 at 7:41 am
Alice Baker liked this on Facebook.
Mika Rissanen said,
01.28.16 at 7:56 pm
Mika Rissanen liked this on Facebook.
Richard Frith said,
01.31.16 at 8:26 pm
Richard Frith liked this on Facebook.