In a significant cultural restitution, US law enforcement and consular officials have announced the return of stolen art and antiquities valued at approximately $80 million to Italy. This extensive collection, spanning from the 9th century BCE to the 4th century CE, includes a wide range of historically significant items.
A Diverse Trove of Artifacts
The returned artifacts comprise Roman coins, a mosaic floor, Umbrian bronzes, military equipment, oil paintings, sculptures, and various pottery pieces. These items were originally looted from Italian regions such as Calabria, Campagna, Puglia, Sicily, and Lazio. The artifacts were recovered from private collections and museums in the US, after authorities presented evidence of their illegal origins.
Impact of Looting
General Francesco Gargaro, commander of the Carabinieri’s art crimes unit, emphasized the detrimental impact of such looting on historical research. “When artifacts are taken from clandestine graves, they have never been cataloged. That means that, in addition to the items themselves, their historical context was stolen, robbing archaeologists of valuable information,” he explained.
Among the most prized items in the recovered collection are a bronze statue from the Umbrian tribe, several 2,400-year-old bronze heads, and a mosaic floor depicting the myth of Orpheus dating back to the 3rd or 4th century CE.
Efforts to Combat Art Trafficking
The recovery was managed by the Art Trafficking Unit (ATU) at the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, which is renowned for its efforts in combating art and antiquities trafficking. Prosecutor Matthew Bogdanos collaborated closely with Italy’s Carabinieri for the Protection of Cultural Heritage, which uses the AI-powered Stolen Works Of Art Detection System (SWOADS). Since 2023, this program has facilitated the confiscation of over 105,474 art pieces globally, valued at more than €264 million.
Under the leadership of District Attorney Alvin Bragg, Manhattan has become a global hub for the recovery of stolen art. The ATU has successfully returned more than 1,000 antiquities from 27 countries, valued at over $215 million. This includes 278 items of Italian origin, as well as significant returns to countries such as India, Pakistan, Egypt, Greece, and Bulgaria.
The return of these valuable artifacts underscores the importance of international cooperation in preserving cultural heritage and combating art theft. The efforts of US authorities, in collaboration with their Italian counterparts, highlight a commitment to restoring stolen cultural treasures to their rightful origins.
