Italy announced Tuesday the seizure of an illegal excavation site containing a trove of Etruscan artifacts estimated to be worth €8 million ($8.5 million), The Associated Press reports.
Two individuals are under investigation for suspected theft and trafficking of the ancient relics, intended for sale on the black market.
The illegal dig was discovered adjacent to another Etruscan burial site unearthed by a farmer in 2015. Authorities were alerted by photographs of artifacts circulating within the black market, which bore striking similarities to those found on the farmer’s land.
Employing advanced surveillance techniques, including drone aerial photography and wiretaps, investigators pinpointed the illegal excavation on property owned by a local businessman with access to heavy earthmoving equipment.
The newly discovered site yielded a significant haul of artifacts, including two sarcophagi believed to have belonged to Etruscan princesses – one containing a near-complete skeleton. Also recovered were a variety of grave goods, including urns depicting battle and hunting scenes, perfume jars, and a bone comb. This rich collection provides invaluable insight into the burial rites and daily life of the Etruscans.
The Etruscan civilization flourished in central Italy from approximately 900 B.C. to 27 B.C., inhabiting a region encompassing parts of modern-day Tuscany, Umbria, and Lazio. The discovery underscores the ongoing threat of looting to Italy’s rich archaeological heritage.
