Israel handed back 22 ancient Greek artifacts to Greece on Tuesday, marking the first time the country has ever returned...

Israel handed back 22 ancient Greek artifacts to Greece on Tuesday, marking the first time the country has ever returned antiquities to Athens. The handover ceremony took place at the National Archaeological Museum in Athens, where Greek Culture Minister Lina Mendoni received the objects from Israeli Ambassador Pninat Yanay and Amir Ganor, director of the Israel Antiquities Authority's Theft Prevention Unit. The collection spans roughly 700 to 320 BC and includes 15 Attic pottery vessels, six vessels from Corinthian workshops, and a bronze statuette of a female figure whose authenticity is still being verified by specialists. Among the Attic pieces, 11 are black-figure, three are red-figure, and one is black-glazed, representing work from both the Archaic and Classical periods of ancient Greece. Israeli authorities seized the objects in 2020 during a joint investigation targeting illegal antiquities trafficking. The raid swept through a gallery, warehouses, and apartments in the Gush Dan area, turning up thousands of illegally acquired archaeological items from Israel and around the world. Mendoni called the moment a starting point for deeper bilateral cooperation, saying the return confirms that coordination between states can "contribute substantially and effectively to combating the major crime of antiquities trafficking." A memorandum of understanding between Greece and Israel is expected to be signed to formally anchor that cooperation. The return comes as Greece pushes harder on multiple fronts to recover looted heritage. Athens has been intensifying pressure on the British Museum to return the Parthenon Marbles, removed by Lord Elgin in the early 19th century and held in London since. The Acropolis Museum in Athens has had space reserved for them since 2009. Greece and Israel have also deepened defense ties recently. In August, the two countries signed a 3 billion euro deal to build a multi-layered air defense system in Greece known as the Achilles Shield. #Greece #Antiquities #Repatriation