Stolen Greek Antiquities Return Home from Bern, Switzerland

The looted Greek antiquities from Bern, Switzerland. Photo source: Culture Ministry

Two illegally removed Greek artefacts were repatriated recently to Greece from Bern, Switzerland, according to an announcement by the Greek Culture Ministry.

The looted antiquities include a fragment of a stone inscription, dating back to the Hellenistic era, originating from the island of Kos; and a fragment of a marble Ionic capital from the Roman era, with its origin traced to the Ancient Agora of Corinth. The period when the pieces were removed from Greece is unknown, the ministry said.

The artefacts were voluntarily surrendered by Swiss citizens to the Archaeological Service of the Canton of Grisons in autumn 2022 and spring 2023. The Swiss Archaeological Service documented their Greek origin.

In accordance to a bilateral agreement between the Federal Council of the Swiss Confederation and the Greek state, regarding the import, transit, and repatriation of cultural goods, the artefacts were returned.

Fragment of a marble Ionic capital from the Ancient Agora of Corinth.

Fragment of a stone inscription from Kos.

According to the culture ministry, the repatriation agreement is in align with the recommendations of the 1970 UNESCO Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export, and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property.

“The successful repatriation of these artefacts underscores the effectiveness of bilateral agreements established by Greece with numerous countries,” the ministry said in its announcement.

The repatriation of the looted pieces is a result of various initiatives aimed to raise awareness on the issue of antiquities trafficking.

It should be mentioned that the Michael C. Carlos Museum in Atlanta recently returned ancient Greek artifacts from Epirus, Crete, and Attica. The ministry has stated that it aims to retrieve more cultural assets that have been illegally removed from Greece, key among which the Parthenon Marbles.