[MSN] Greece. Antiquities seizure was 'one of the biggest'

[Museum Security Network Mailinglist]

Antiquities seizure was 'one of the biggest' 

    April 18 2006 at 05:41PM  
 
Athens, Greece - Greece's culture minister on Tuesday called last week's
seizure of nearly 300 artifacts from a remote Greek island villa one of the
biggest illegal antiquities cases in recent years.

Giorgos Voulgarakis said police were investigating suspected involvement of
international smuggling rings. But he said there was no evidence to support
Greek media reports of a link between the police raids and a dispute between
Greece and the Getty Museum in Los Angeles.

"This is one of the most complex cases in recent years," Voulgarakis said,
involving an eclectic collection of pieces "from the Mediterranean and other
countries".

Police on March 12 confiscated an estimated 280 artifacts during raids at
the villa on tiny Schoinoussa, in the antiquities-rich Cyclades island
chain, and an Athens house.

Police made no arrests and said the owners were in London during the raids.
Voulgarakis said ministry officials would evaluate the seized artifacts,
which included modern copies, before charges could be pressed.

The artifacts - some more than 3 000 years old - include a headless marble
statue of Aphrodite, ancient goddess of love, dating to Roman times, a
marble sarcophagus decorated with sculpted human and animal masks, three
marble busts and two granite sphinxes.

Greece is seeking the return of four ancient artifacts from the Getty
Museum, arguing that they were illegally exported. - Sapa-AP
 
http://www.iol.co.za/