Italy regains looted ancient treasures

Italy regains looted ancient treasures
Etruscan and Roman artifacts returned by unsuspecting art dealer
updated 9:12 p.m. ET Nov. 6, 2007

ROME - Italian authorities claimed another victory in their campaign against the illegal antiquities market Tuesday, unveiling eight Etruscan or Roman artifacts they say were looted from the country and returned by a New York art dealer.

The ancient treasures, including a Roman statue, bronze figurines, and exquisitely painted vases, were worth more than half a million dollars and were bought at auctions by New York dealer Jerome Eisenberg, Italian officials said.

Eisenberg was not aware that the pieces were stolen from Italian museums during the 1970s or illegally dug up, said Gen. Giovanni Nistri, who heads the art squad of the Carabinieri paramilitary police.
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“This is a dealer who since 1999 has returned of his own initiative other artifacts that came into his possession” and that were shown to have been looted, Nistri added.

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http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21662091/