Ancient mosaic stolen during WWII returned to Pompeii
A two-millennia-old mosaic, which was stolen by a Nazi officer has been returned to Italy more than 80 years after the end of World War II.
The piece will now be displayed on the site of the ancient city of Pompeii near Naples, which was buried in the year 79 AD during an eruption of Mount Vesuvius, the director of the museum site, Gabriel Zuchtriegel, said.
“Every returned stolen artefact is like a wound that heals,” Mr Zuchtriegel said
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.The intricately crafted piece depicts a man and a woman in Roman attire in a bedroom in an intimate pose.
According to the museum, the mosaic most likely originates from the region around the volcano and may have once adorned the floor of a bedroom. It is believed to have been created in the first century BC or AD.
According to the Carabinieri Police Force for the Protection of Cultural Heritage, the mosaic probably came into the “wrongful possession” of the Wehrmacht member during the German occupation.
The German officer gifted the piece to a civilian, who kept it until his death. His heirs, realising its origin, contacted the Italian authorities to arrange its return.
Documents regarding the theft, the gifting, names, or similar have not yet been found, a Carabinieri spokesman said.
