Persian Artifacts Repatriated From Italy

Italy returned 30 ancient Persian artifacts to Iran that were seized from smugglers in Italy, the head of National Museum of Iran said.

"The historical items include early Islamic pottery and jewelry. The artifacts were initially transferred to the Iranian Embassy in Rome and then to Iran," Jebreil Nokandeh was also quoted as saying by Sputnik on Sunday.

“In 2008, Italian police found out about the illegal importation of ancient artifacts into Italy. These artifacts appeared to have Eastern origins. To clarify the situation and identify these ancient items, specialists of the National Museum of Oriental Art in Rome were brought in.”

Nokandeh further said the specialists studied the collection of 30 artifacts and concluded that most likely these items were ancient Persian objects and immediately reported back to the Iranian Embassy in Rome. Experts from Iran's Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization were invited to Italy to study the collection.

 “The earliest of objects belonged to the Safavid dynasty. Most other historical monuments are objects from the early Islamic period (Mongol dynasty rulers),” the head of the museum said. Talking about the collection of artifacts, Nokandeh said, “There are pottery, porcelain, enamel, clay figurines, seals and very rare jewels and ornaments. Today, these items are housed in our National Museum of Iran.”