In a coordinated effort spanning multiple agencies and borders, U.S. authorities have repatriated 26 ancient artifacts to Greece, marking another step in the ongoing fight against the illicit trade in cultural heritage.
The operation was led by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), a division of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), with support from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the FBI, and the State Department. The items were recovered following months of investigation, underscoring the growing international cooperation aimed at protecting and restoring looted antiquities to their countries of origin.
“These invaluable objects, illegally removed from their homeland, have now been returned thanks to the combined expertise and jurisdictional reach of our teams and partners,” said ICE Deputy Director Charles Wall. He emphasized the cultural significance of the artifacts, noting that they once played an integral role in everyday life in the ancient world, and praised the investigators and prosecutors involved in their recovery.
The collection includes 25 coins dating from the Greek, Roman, and Byzantine periods, along with a striking marble torso of Asclepius, the Greek god of medicine. The sculpture, weighing approximately 500 pounds and standing about 40 inches tall, is believed to date from the 1st or 2nd century CE. It was seized after authorities determined that accompanying documentation contained false claims.
Among the coins is a gold piece from Lampsakos in Mysia, minted around 370 BCE, depicting Heracles on one side and Pegasus on the other. Another notable find is a 4th-century BCE bronze coin from Macedonia, featuring Persephone and the mythical Hydra. A silver didrachm from Rhodes, struck in 304 BCE and bearing the image of Helios alongside the iconic Rhodian rose, was also recovered after being linked to violations of cultural property laws and smuggling activities.
The return of these artifacts reflects a longstanding U.S. commitment to safeguarding Greek cultural heritage. Since 2007, HSI has repatriated more than 200 antiquities to Greece, in line with a bilateral cultural property agreement that came into force in 2011.
