Napoli. In an operation conducted by the Carabinieri Nucleus for the Protection of Cultural Heritage of Naples, a clandestine excavation was discovered underground in the historic center of Naples, which led to the devastation of an archaeological area.
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During the raid, a medieval church was discovered that had been looted by tomb raiders. Following the investigation, a seizure order was issued by the Judicial Authority, which led to the closure of the underground areas connected to an ancient religious structure.
A Neapolitan entrepreneur has been investigated: according to the reconstruction, the man allegedly exploited premises he owned in the city centre to carry out illegal underground excavations, with the aim of discovering and profiting from archaeological finds hidden underground.
The seizure halted illicit activities in an 11th-century medieval church, located about eight meters below street level. A semicircular frescoed apse is visible, in good condition, with the partially recognizable iconography of Christ enthroned.
There are also velarium decorations and a partially deciphered dedication. In addition, part of the flooring, composed of reused white marble slabs, was discovered.
This discovery represents an exceptional contribution to the public heritage, bringing to light a rare example of medieval art from the 11th century, with decorations similar to those of the nearby Sacello di Sant'Aspreno, adding to the few medieval pictorial testimonies remaining in Italy.
During the investigations, conducted in collaboration with the Archaeological Superintendency and with the technical-operational support of the Fine Arts and Landscape of the Municipality of Naples, other premises of the entrepreneur in the historic center were inspected, including clandestine underground tunnels linked to the foundations of an 18th-century building, protected as a cultural asset of historical-artistic importance.
10 ceramic fragments seized
During the operation, approximately 10.000 ceramic fragments from the Roman and medieval periods were seized, presumably from the suburbs of ancient Neapolis and other still unexplored areas.
453 intact archaeological finds from the Roman period were also recovered, including red-figure craters, amphorae, oil lamps, terracotta pipes and Roman and medieval coins.
Article published on 4 October 2024 - 08:38
What a shame, I hope the seized art can return to its original place.
It is important to protect our cultural heritage from these illegal actions.