Will Italy ask the US for the return of the Monteleone Chariot? The hypothesis is under consideration by the Ministry

Italy could ask the United States for the return of the Chariot of Monteleone, a precious Etruscan chariot dating from the second quarter of the sixth century B.C. and used in ancient times at parades: it was discovered in 1902 in Monteleone di Spoleto (hence the name by which it is universally known) by a farmer who sold it to the Metropolitan Museum in New York, with the involvement of some intermediaries. Recent research, however, has ascertained that this was an illicit sale, violating the laws in force in the then Kingdom of Italy, and according to some letters found by local scholars, it seems that the Metropolitan’s top management was aware of the illicit nature of the transaction.

In the past, the Municipality of Monteleone di Spoleto had already made a request to the United States for restitution, but this was not answered. Now the Ministry of Cultural Heritage might come into play: in an official note, the MiBAC let it be known that during a meeting of the Committee for the Recovery and Restitution of Stolen Works, held yesterday, Wednesday, April 10, in the presence of Minister Bonisoli, the Monteleone Chariot was also discussed: the Committee let it be known that it will make further investigations of the legal framework in order to decide whether to send a possible request for restitution to the U.S.

Will Italy ask the US for the return of the Monteleone Chariot? The hypothesis is under consideration by the Ministry

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