Greek police rescue rare ancient statue fragment from black market

A fragment of a Greek statue dating back to the 5th century B.C. has been rescued by Greek police. It is an “exceptional work of art,” commented Greek archaeologist Dimitris Sourlas, “difficult to find even in the course of usual archaeological excavations.”

Although it measures about 37 centimeters in height, its fine workmanship is remarkable: arrived headless and almost limbless, the statue depicts a naked, semi-recumbent youth, presumably part at the end of a temple pediment.

A Corinthian trafficker was trying to sell the fragment for the sum of 100,000 euros, placing it on the black market, but Greek police, after months of investigation, managed to save the work. According to experts, the latter came from the Acropolis area of Athens. However, the precise origin is yet to be identified and authorities in Greece are working on it.

The looting and black market of cultural property has been on the rise for several years: the circulation of these antiquities constitutes one of the world’s major illicit trades.

Greek police rescue rare ancient statue fragment from black market

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