Looted Artifacts Being Returned to Italy from New York City
NEW YORK, NY (AP).- Two stolen ancient artifacts are being returned to Italy from New York City.
An Italian government representative is taking possession of them at a ceremony Wednesday. The artifacts are a Pompeii plaster wall painting and a Corinthian vase for mixing water and wine.
They were recovered by immigration and customs officials in June. Both items had been scheduled for auction in New York before they were discovered to have been stolen.
This undated photo provided by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement shows a banquet vase that was stolen from Italy, turned up in New York, and is headed back to Italy. This Corinthian column krater - a large vase for mixing water and wine at banquets, and a Pompeii wall panel fresco were recovered by Immigration and Customs officials in June. Both had been scheduled to be auctioned in New York before they were discovered to have been looted. The items were turned over to a representative of the Italian government in a ceremony at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement offices in New York on Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2009
Immigration officials said the vase may have been illegally introduced into the art market by Giacomo Medici (JAH’-kuh-moh meh-DEE-chee) in 1985. The art dealer was convicted in Rome in 2004 of conspiracy to traffic in antiquities.
The wall painting was reported stolen in Italy in 1997.
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