The Attic marble votive relief dating to the fourth century BC. Photo source: Culture Ministry
Greece has secured the return of six antiquities from London following the conclusion of a long-running legal claim, marking another step in the country’s ongoing efforts to recover cultural objects removed illegally from its territory.
The artefacts include an Attic marble votive relief dating to the fourth century BC and five small bronze figurines. They were held by Robin Symes Limited, a company currently under liquidation, and are linked to illicit antiquities trafficking networks that operated in past decades.
Greece’s claim for their repatriation was launched in 2006 and forms part of broader legal actions that have already resulted in the return of hundreds of artefacts from the same company, most recently in May 2023.
“The return of the votive relief and the bronze figurines is part of a consistent strategy that in recent years has delivered tangible results, with hundreds of objects already being repatriated,” Culture Minister Lina Mendoni said.
The bronze figurines. Photo source: Culture Ministry
The marble relief, measuring 52 by 92 centimeters, depicts the goddess Artemis and bears an inscription identifying it as a dedication to Artemis Munychia.
According to the Culture Ministry, the relief originated from the sanctuary of Artemis Munychia, located on the southern side of the ancient harbor of Munychia in present-day Piraeus. Sculptural finds from this sanctuary are rare, making the relief a particularly significant example associated with the site.
The five bronze figurines – three male and two female, each approximately six centimeters tall – depict worshippers with raised hands, a gesture commonly linked to prayer or supplication. Such figurines were typically offered as votive dedications in ancient Greek sanctuaries.
Evidence connecting the marble relief to illicit antiquities trafficking was identified in the archive of Italian antiquities dealer Gianfranco Becchina, seized in Basel in 2002 during a joint operation by Italian and Swiss authorities. According to Greek judicial authorities, the object was the product of illegal excavation and was unlawfully removed from Greece.
The repatriated artefacts have been transferred to the Archaeological Museum of Piraeus, where they will undergo conservation and further study.
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