Greece’s Culture Minister Lina Mendoni attended a special ceremony at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (MET) in New York, marking the official return of a 7th-century BCE bronze griffin head to Greece.
The repatriation follows collaborative research between the Greek Ministry of Culture and the MET, revealing that the artifact had been removed from the Archaeological Museum of Olympia in the 1930s under illegitimate circumstances.
The bronze griffin, originally discovered in the Kladeos River in Olympia in 1914, was housed in the museum’s library before its undocumented disappearance. According to MET records, the artifact resurfaced in the antiquities trade in the 1930s, was sold in New York in 1948, and later donated to the museum in 1972 by collector Walter C. Baker. The return of the griffin follows a thorough review of records, confirming that it could not have legally left Greece.
This repatriation is part of the MET’s Cultural Property Initiative, launched in 2023 to strengthen provenance research and address issues of contested ownership. As part of this initiative, the museum has appointed a Head of Provenance and expanded its team of dedicated researchers. The MET has also recently engaged in repatriation agreements with Iraq, Yemen, Nepal, and India.
Minister Mendoni emphasised the significance of this return, highlighting the growing collaboration between Greece and international institutions in restoring cultural heritage. The MET and Greece have also announced a 50-year partnership regarding the Leonard N. Stern Collection of Cycladic Art, fostering further cultural exchanges.
On February 25, MET Director Max Hollein hosted Minister Mendoni and a panel of experts from both institutions to discuss advancements in cultural and scientific cooperation, underscoring Greece’s ongoing efforts to reclaim its historical treasures. Additionally, the griffin is expected to return to New York on loan for a special exhibition in 2026, further strengthening ties between Greece and the MET.
