Ancient Roman gravestone found in New Orleans back yard returned to Italy
Summary
A nearly 2,000-year-old Roman gravestone found in a New Orleans backyard has been returned to Italy. The FBI led a ceremony in Rome to give the artifact back to Italian officials as part of efforts to stop illegal trade in cultural items.Key Facts
- The gravestone is about 1,900 years old and made of marble.
- It was found last year by a couple clearing their yard in New Orleans.
- Experts identified it as a Roman grave marker for Sextus Congenius Verus, a Roman sailor from the 2nd century.
- The stone matched a missing piece from a museum near Rome that was damaged during World War II.
- The gravestone ended up in New Orleans likely because a US soldier brought it home after serving in Italy.
- The FBI helped return the gravestone along with other artifacts under a US-Italy cultural agreement.
- The US-Italy Cultural Property Agreement restricts the import of Italian antiques to combat illegal trafficking.
- The agreement also helps Americans study and appreciate Italian antiquities legally.
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