Euphronios vase returned to Italy after looting investigation

The history of the Euphronios vase, an ancient Greek vessel created around 515 BCE, highlights the complexities of the international illegal antiquities market. Purchased by the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York for $1.2 million in 1972, the vase was later identified as a “hot vase” due to suspicions that it was looted from an ancient tomb in the Cerveteri necropolis in Italy.

Investigations into the illicit trade of artifacts revealed a widespread network where tombs were looted at night to supply international collectors and museums. The vase was eventually linked to the illegal trafficking network of dealer Giacomo Medici, who was convicted in 2005. Following decades in the United States, the Euphronios vase was returned to Italy in 2008.