Manhattan DA returns ancient sarcophagus fragment to Greece nearly 30 years after theft

As part of a continuing investigation with partners in international law enforcement, the DA’s office went into a gallery in Midtown Manhattan with a search warrant and seized the fragment, which was on display as a centerpiece.
The fragment dates back to 200 A.D. and depicts a battle between Greek and Trojan warriors, the DA’s office said. It was stolen from Greece in 1988, and was smuggled abroad and transported through Europe before finally ending up in New York, the DA’s office said.
Once presented with evidence that it had been stolen, the Manhattan-based gallery handed the item over willingly.
The fragment is going back to Greece, where it will be displayed for public view and research at the National Archaeological Museum of Athens.
“Trafficked antiquities often acquire a veneer of legitimacy after the passage of time or changes in ownership,” DA Cyrus Vance said in a news release. “Galleries, auction houses, and art collectors, however, should be on alert that my Office and our partners in law enforcement are closely following the listing and sale of items of suspicious or dubious provenance.”