Bolzano, carabinieri find and return eight valuable archaeological finds

On the morning of April 2, 2025, the Carabinieri Tutela Patrimonio Culturale (TPC) unit in Venice returned eight valuable ceramic artifacts, dating from between the 11th and 6th centuries B.C., to the Provincial Cultural Heritage Office in Bolzano. The investigation, conducted by the Bolzano Public Prosecutor’s Office and initiated in March 2024, allowed the reconstruction of the path of these artifacts, which were illegally removed from the Italian cultural heritage and later found in a South Tyrolean property.

The rediscovered objects include a biconical grey-brown bucchero vase, typical of the 10th-century B.C.E. Villanovan culture, a black bucchero goblet of Vulcente production dating to the 6th century B.C.E., and a trilobate oinochoe with semicircular and ray dotted decorations, dating to the 8th century B.C.E.

An investigation that started from a complaint

The recovery operations stemmed from an inspection by the Bolzano Provincial Cultural Heritage Office, which led to the discovery of the artifacts inside an attic of a Bolzano property, part of an inheritance. The current owner of the building reported the find to the authorities, as required by the Cultural Heritage and Landscape Code. Investigations conducted by the Venice TPC Carabinieri confirmed that the objects came from clandestine excavations carried out in Lazio in the 1980s, and that they had subsequently been acquired by individuals involved in the illicit trafficking of cultural property.

Following the discovery, the artifacts were seized, as the owner of the property did not have documentation proving their lawful possession. The Bolzano Public Prosecutor’s Office, after verifying the provenance of the goods, ordered their release in January 2025, establishing their final assignment to the cultural property. The restitution to the Superintendency of Bolzano took place by virtue of current regulations, which recognize the Autonomous Province’s competence in cultural heritage protection, based on the Special Statute for Trentino-South Tyrol.

The role of scientific investigations.

During the recovery activities, the Venice TPC Carabinieri collaborated with archaeologists from the Venice A.B.A.P. Superintendency, who conducted technical and art-historical examinations to determine the authenticity and value of the artifacts. Italian law stipulates that archaeological artifacts, if lacking clear documentation attesting to their private ownership prior to Law No. 364 of 1909, automatically belong to the cultural domain. In addition, any acts of alienation made in violation of the provisions on archaeological heritage are considered null and void.

In addition to the eight authentic artifacts, investigators identified four modern reproductions of archaeological finds, including an Etruscan-Corinthian olpe from the second half of the 7th century B.C. Indications of non-authenticity were applied to these objects to prevent future misattributions. The recovery and return of these artifacts confirm the commitment of the Venice TPC Unit in safeguarding Italy’s cultural heritage. Activities to combat illicit trafficking are carried out through constant checks at commercial establishments in the antiquarian sector and through collaboration with scholars, collectors and the institutions of the Ministry of Culture.

Bolzano, carabinieri find and return eight valuable archaeological finds

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