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http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_politics_100010_15/04/2006_68695
Experts in awe of antiquity stash
The massive collection of illegal antiquities uncovered by authorities on the tiny Aegean island of Schinoussa is unique and probably the largest ever seen in Greece, police told Kathimerini yesterday.
Policemen and archaeologists were still combing through artifacts at the villa of an unnamed woman from a wealthy shipping family. The raid came after a search of her home in Athens, where more antiquities were found.
“I have never seen such unique items before in my life. I do not think I will ever handle such a big case again during my career,” an officer from the Antiquities Department of the Attica Police, who preferred not to be named, told Kathimerini.
Among the most impressive items found on Schinoussa, south of Naxos, was a completely rebuilt ancient temple. The temple, made using artifacts from various eras, covers an area of some 30 square meters. A Byzantine icon was found inside the temple.
By last night, some 50 artifacts had been recorded by experts but archaeologists told Kathimerini that it was unclear how long it would take to register all of them.
“It is a huge area and wherever we turn, we find ancient objects either hidden or being used openly for decoration,” an archaeologist who preferred not to be named told Kathimerini. He said the collection had a very high value.
Police believe that the artifacts are related in some way to the collection of Robin Symes, an antiquities dealer from London. Symes was involved in a two-year legal battle with the family of his business partner Christos Michailidis, who died in 1999.
The family won the right to half of the collection. Police believe the house in Schoinousa previously belonged to Symes and Michailidis.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1494372.cms
The Times of India
Stolen Lord Vishnu's statue sent back home
[ Tuesday, April 18, 2006 10:07:56 amPTI ]
NEW YORK: A stolen 9th century stone idol with carvings of all ten incarnations of Lord Vishnu began its journey back home to be reinstalled in Varaha temple in Mandsour in Madhya Pradesh from where it was chipped off six years ago.
A happy Indian Consul-General Neelam Deo and a satisfied Special Agent in charge of investigation at the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Martin D Ficke signed the papers at a brief ceremony on Monday, formally handing it over to India.
This was one of the two idols stolen, the search for the other is still on. Despite its tortuous journey to New York, the 127 cm tall and 71 cm wide idol is in good condition with only a mark at the back from where it might have been chipped off.
The recovery was described by Indian and US officials as the "fruitful" result of coordinated investigations carried out in India and the United States.
"The government and people of India greatly appreciate this gesture of goodwill from the government and people of the United States," Deo said.
When someone loots or steals a cultural artifact from a country, that country loses a part of its identity and its heritage. "Today, we are able to return the Varhaha idol to the government and people of India and restore a part of its cultural heritage that had been stolen from her," Ficke commented as he signed the papers.
Senior Special Agent James McAndrew, who investigated the case, said the probe led the investigators to Namkha Dorjee, owner of the Bodh Citta Gallery, who was operating from his apartment in New York.
Once agents closed in, he voluntarily surrendered the statue. McAndrew said that it was particularly difficult to investigate the undocumented artifacts and a great deal depends on the way the theft is investigated in the home country.
No arrest has yet been made in the United States as crime could not be pinned on any individual, officials said. The statue was originally destined for Switzerland but then was diverted to Britain and papers were altered somewhere along the journey.
The person who was responsible for sending it from Britain to the United States was reportedly killed in Afghanistan some time ago.
He was apparently trying to smuggle out that country's heritage, American investigators said. It was only in 2003 that ICE received information from the Indian police and Interpol that the statue was in the United States which ultimately led to its seizure.
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