Art treasures to be returned to Rome

A long-running row between the United States and Italy over plundered artworks is set to end with the return to Rome of several disputed antiquities. Italy has agreed a deal with New York’s Metropolitan Museum paving the way for the handover of several artefacts, including a 2,500 year-old Greek vase.

Tomb raiders have looted antiquities in Italy for centuries and Rome says some of the works have ended up on display in museums abroad, particularly in the United States. Rome is particularly keen to recover the Euphronius Krater, a Greek vase from the 6th century BC, which is regarded as one of the most prized pieces in the Met’s collection.

The former curator of another respected US art institution, the John Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles, is on trial in Rome, he is charged with knowingly acquiring stolen artefacts.

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