Investigations in Greece have led to the arrests of two people (one a former policeman), for smuggling artefacts that are presumed to have come from an illegal excavation.

Illegal looting such a this will always be a problem in a country such as Greece with a very rich archaeological heritage – but efforts to police it need to be kept up during the current financial difficulties that the country faces.

From:
Washington Post

2 arrested in Greece for alleged antiquities smuggling of ancient gold wreath, armband
By Associated Press, Published: June 8

THESSALONIKI, Greece — A retired policeman and a house painter have been arrested in northern Greece on suspicion of antiquities smuggling after an ancient gold wreath and armband were found in their car, police said Friday.

The suspects were stopped by highway police near the village of Asprovalta, some 40 kilometers (25 miles) east of Thessaloniki late Thursday. Officers, who were working on a tip that the house painter might be trafficking in antiquities, found the 4th century B.C. artifacts in a shoebox under the passenger seat.
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Following on from previous coverage of the effects of the Greek financial crisis on the country’s archaeological sites, some archaeological programmes are taking steps to rebury archaeological discoveries, to protect them until such time as there are sufficient funds to allow full excavations to take place. Such a move, also prevents looters from discovering where some of these sites are, removing the requirement for further security.

From:
Canada.com

Greek antiquities reburied for lack of funds: report
Agence France-Presse March 2, 2012

ATHENS – Lack of funding in crisis-hit Greece has stymied archaeological research and leads experts to rebury valuable discoveries to better protect them, a Greek daily reported on Friday.

“Mother Earth is the best protector of our antiquities,” Michalis Tiverios, a professor of archaeology at Thessaloniki’s Aristotelio University, told Ta Nea daily on the sidelines of an annual archaeological congress in the city.
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“End to Antiquities Trafficking”, a new temporary exhibition about looting of antiquities in Greece, at Thessaloniki’s Archaeological Museum, runs until September.

From:
Greek Reporter

Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki to Host “End to Antiquities Trafficking” Exhibition
By Stella Tsolakidou on March 29, 2012

A temporary exhibition entitled “End to Antiquities Trafficking” will open in April at the Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki. The exhibition will run until September and aims at highlighting the sensitive issue of antiquities smuggling by showcasing stolen artifacts that have been confiscated.

The exhibition will feature six sections with a total of 170 artifacts from the Museum’s collections, the 6th and 7th Ephorates of Prehistoric and Classical Antiquities and the Ephorate of Underwater Antiquities. Moreover, archive material from the Directorate for Protection of Cultural Heritage of the Tourism Ministry will also be on display.
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