America Returns Italian-Owned 8th Century Artifacts

The United States reverses artifacts picked up from Italy, at least worth 90,000 US dollars or for Rp11 billion. Local officials revealed that the artifact originated in the 8th century BC, but was looted and trafficked abroad.

Of the elements of the artifact, there were Sardinian bronze cows and Sardinian swimmer bronze from the 8th century BC, Greek Heracles bronze from the 3rd or 4th century BC and 4th century BC drinking cup pictured with two goat heads.

There is also a wine jug decorated with images of male goats and beetles dated 650 BC, pumpkin oil 340 BC pictured a man holding a plate of fruit and similar to a man holding a harp, listed as from 430 BC.

Six of these items were collected from the Manhattan gallery in April, as an element of the ongoing investigation into international antique trade. Based on information from US local officials, the seventh object was collected from a gallery opposite in a different part of Midtown Manhattan.

The antiques were picked up in the 1990s from burial sites and other archeological urges in Italy, then smuggled abroad.

While New York is familiar as a center of financial habits and circulation in America, as well as the main center of the international art market which is equipped with various galleries and auction residence locations.

“Art galleries, auction sites, academic institutions, and collectors, must be vigilant in recognizing and identifying signs of pickpocketing and human commerce,” Manhattan area lawyer Cyrus Vance said Francesco Genuardi as the Italian consul general in New York, welcomed the return of 7 of these precious and amazing artifacts. Returning artifacts will be displayed in the museum.

In addition to America reversing the Italian artifacts, there are artifacts related to the killing of Bin Laden on display in New York.

Three artifacts, which relate to the ambush and murder of Osama bin Laden three years ago, were exhibited at the National September 11 Memorial & Museum on Sunday (08/09/2014).

The objects, which were exhibited ahead of the 13th anniversary of the attack on the twin towers of the WTC in New York and Washington, were a uniform belonging to Navy SEAL members plunged into Osama’s ambush, a brick from Osama’s hideout in Pakistan, and a coin donated by a CIA agent who contributed to tracking and digging the Al Qaeda leader.

“This exhibition not only reflects a time in American history but also provides an opportunity for millions of visitors to recognize the spectacular courage of those who have sacrificed a lot for this country,” said Joe Daniels, president of the museum.

US forces killed Osama in May 2011 during an attack in Abbottabad, Pakistan, completing a search which had taken about ten years.

In addition to the three artifacts, at the exhibition, many photos were also presented from Osama’s ambush. The CIA agent who donated a coin was known merely by a pseudonym “Maya.” The coins were engraved with the date of the attack on Osama and on the different side of the picture with a red X. The sign symbolizes that among the key targets responsible for the September 11, 2001 attacks have been killed.

Since it began on May 2014, the 9/11 Museum has been visited by 900,000 people while more than 15 million people have visited the Memorial monument built to commemorate the victims of the September 11 attacks since it began on September 11, 2011.