Another success for the Greek hunter of stolen antiquities
The black-figure amphora from the 5th century BC, was in the auction list scheduled by the house Christie’s for Wednesday, July 6th, 2016. The object was withdrawn, as a Greek forensic archaeologist who is researching antiquities smuggling networks and the market for looted cultural objects revealed that it was a stollen artifact.
Professor Christos Tsirogiannis, archaeologist researcher at Cambridge University, identified the amphora.
The identification was made due to two photographs that have emerged from the Prosecution Antiquities of Fthiotida in 2007. Now the Greek Ministry of Culture and Sports is preparing to claim the amphora, which was made around 540-530 BC by an Attic workshop and has a height of 35 cm.
One side of the vase depicts a bearded warrior wearing a short tunic and leggings and a following standing before him, while the other side depicts the man on horseback with a short tunic, who holds a spear in his left hand.