Greece received 21 ancient Greek vases from Israel on Tuesday in what marks the first repatriation of plundered antiquit...

Greece received 21 ancient Greek vases from Israel on Tuesday in what marks the first repatriation of plundered antiquities between the two countries. The artifacts, up to 2,600 years old, were formally handed over at a ceremony held at the National Archaeological Museum in Athens. The pieces span the Archaic and Classical periods, most dating to the 5th and 4th centuries BC. Produced in Attic and Corinthian workshops, the collection includes drinking cups, perfume bottles, and an amphora originally used to store olive oil. A bronze statuette of a woman was also included, though its authenticity remains uncertain and is still under investigation. Culture Minister Lina Mendoni received the artifacts directly from Israel's ambassador to Athens, Pninat Yanay. Mendoni said the return proves that international cooperation can make a real difference in fighting antiquities smuggling, adding that every cultural object returned to its place of origin carries a symbolic and moral weight far beyond the object itself. Israeli antiquities authorities had confiscated the pieces, though the Culture Ministry gave no specifics on when or how they were seized. The ministry did not say how the vases ended up in Israel in the first place. Greece has steadily expanded its repatriation record in recent years, securing the return of hundreds of illegally exported artifacts from the United States and other countries. The British Museum in London, however, continues to hold the Parthenon Sculptures, removed from the Acropolis more than 200 years ago, despite ongoing Greek pressure for their return. #GreekAntiquities #CulturalHeritage #Repatriation