two valuable ancient artifacts illegally exported from Italy, returning to their homeland. Immigration and Customs Police USA (Immigration and Customs Enforcement, ICE) gave the Italian government a piece of wall with a fresco from Pompeii and Corinthian krater - a large bowl for mixing water with wine, dating from the years 580-570 BC. BC.

These items were seized by U.S. police in June this year in New York, the two auction houses. One of them turned out to Christie's. Upon learning that exhibited for sale by its crater has an illegal origin, the staff of the auction house tried to assist the investigation.

ICE specialists suggest that crater hit the market in 1985 by art dealer Giacomo Medici (Giacomo Medici). In 2004 in Rome, he was found guilty of illegal transportation and sale of ancient artifacts. Medici was sentenced to 10 years in prison, but in July this year the Court of Appeal in Rome decided to reduce his sentence to 8 years.

name of the second auction house planned to sell the rectangular piece of wall with Pompeii fresco, representatives of ICE was not informed. However, they were told that the artifact which was stolen in 1997, was among the six fragments of wall paintings, discovered during excavations in the province of Naples in the early 1900's. In 1957 all the pieces were purchased by the Italian government.

missing mural, which was in Interpol's international wanted list, were found through the efforts of employees of the organization Art Loss Register, a database that stores information on stolen or missing works of art. It was informed of his find to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Police, as well as the Italian authorities.

Material prepared Ekaterina Guseva, AI

Source: AP , CP , artinvestment.ru

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