In a significant victory for Italy’s fight to reclaim its stolen cultural heritage, the Carabinieri art police have seized 750 looted archaeological treasures from British antiquities trader Robin Symes. Valued at over €12 million ($12.9 million), these artifacts have been returned to Italy after a protracted legal battle. The recovered pieces will be exhibited at Rome’s Castel Sant’Angelo museum as part of a larger collection of stolen art that has found its way back home. The Ministry of Culture highlighted the diverse nature of the objects, which offer a glimpse into ancient Italy and the islands. Among the Roman and Imperial era items are a bronze tripod table, parade headgear for horses, funerary paintings, marble male busts, fragments of statues and bronzes, and a wall painting depicting a small temple, likely from a Vesuvian residence. The collection also includes precious gems set in gold, silver, bronze, bone, and amber.

The artifacts were illegally obtained through clandestine excavations on Italian soil and were associated with Symes Ltd., a company owned by Robin Symes, who was notorious for trafficking cultural goods. Despite investigations, Symes evaded charges due to outdated statutes of limitations. However, legal action was pursued against his company, including bankruptcy proceedings in the UK. Brigadier General Vincenzo Molinese, commander of the Carabinieri Art Squad, announced that an additional 71 objects, currently in the United States, will be recovered in the coming days. The return of these 750 objects marks a significant milestone in Italy’s ongoing efforts to reclaim its stolen treasures. The Minister of Culture, Gennaro Sangiuliano, expressed the importance of protecting and preserving the country’s cultural heritage while thwarting the activities of unscrupulous traffickers.