Pompeii – A piece of history and art has returned home. The Archaeological Park of Pompeii has reacquired a precious mosaic depicting a pair of lovers, repatriated from Germany thanks to the tireless work of the Carabinieri Command for the Protection of Cultural Heritage (TPC) and the support of the Italian Consulate General in Stuttgart.
The mosaic has a unique story: it was donated to a German citizen by a Wehrmacht Captain in charge of the military supply chain in Italy during the Second World War.
An artifact therefore attributable to those events of war plundering that saw numerous Italian works of art stolen from their original context.
The heirs of the last German owner, demonstrating a commendable sense of ethics, managed to contact the TPC Nucleus in Rome, requesting guidance on how to return the mosaic to the Italian State.
After a series of investigations into the artifact and its provenance, the military personnel of the Specialized Command worked towards its repatriation, which took place on September 16, 2023.
The erotic scene and its original purpose
It's a mosaic panel with an erotic scene, likely from the Vesuvian area. Experts believe it may have decorated the floor of a bedroom within a domus or villa.
Thanks to the collaboration of the Office for the Protection of Archaeological Heritage of the Archaeological Park of Pompeii, it was possible to trace the find back to the Vesuvian area, albeit hypothetically given the lack of certain data on the original context of its discovery.
Pending further analysis and archaeometric studies to ascertain its authenticity and reconstruct its history, the panel will be temporarily displayed at the Pompeii Antiquarium. This decision will allow not only its conservation and protection, but also its public access, making accessible a piece of history that for decades has been removed from its context.
"Today's return once again confirms the great commitment of the Carabinieri Command for the Protection of Cultural Heritage to the reacquisition of national cultural heritage improperly located abroad," said Major General Francesco Gargaro, Commander of the Carabinieri Command for the Protection of Cultural Heritage, who was present at the handover. "This work is carried out daily thanks to a dense network of international relationships, consolidated over the years, which allows us to operate with precision and speed."
Gabriel Zuchtriegel, director of the Pompeii Archaeological Park, also expressed his gratitude: "Every looted artifact that returns is a wound that heals, so we express our gratitude to the Protection Unit for their work. The wound lies not so much in the material value of the artwork, but in its historical value; a value that is severely compromised by the illicit trafficking of antiquities.
We don't know the exact provenance of the artifact and likely never will; we will conduct further studies and archaeometric analyses to ascertain its authenticity, to reconstruct its history to the extent possible. The study, knowledge, and public enjoyment of heritage are the lotus flowers that grow in the mud of thefts driven by the greed for possession and the selfishness of those who steal archaeological artifacts from the community.
The return of this mosaic is not just the recovery of an object, but the reaffirmation of the inestimable value of cultural heritage and its belonging to the community.
It's true, but it's not just time that matters, but also the way cultural assets have been recovered. We hope there will be more similar initiatives in the future to protect our history.
It's wonderful that the mosaic has returned home. But I wonder why it took so many years to bring it back to Italy. The story is interesting, but I hope other artifacts can also return, because it's important.