Three ancient artefacts housed in the Australian National University's Classics Museum found to have been stolen from Italy
ABCSeveral artefacts that have been kept in the Classics Museum at the Australian National University were stolen from Italy, including one that was likely smuggled out in bundles of pasta. Key points: It has been discovered three items in the ANU's Classics Museum were stolen from Italy A 2,500-year-old amphora was identified as having been illegally excavated, which led to the discovery of the other two items The Italian government has allowed the ANU to keep the amphora and an Apulian fish-plate on loan for four years The items date back as far as 530BCE and one artefact — a marble head — was even stolen from Vatican City. ANU Classics Museum curator Georgia Pike-Rowney said the search revealed a second stolen item — an Apulian red-figure fish-plate purchased in 1984 from Holland Coins and Antiquities in the USA. "During trips to Italy, Swingler sourced material directly from tombaroli — literally 'tomb robbers' who undertake illegal excavations — then smuggled the items to the US hidden among bundles of pasta and other Italian foods."
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