The Toledo Museum of Art in Ohio returned a ceramic water vase, which depicts the Greek god, Dionysus turning pirates into dolphins, to the Italian government on Tuesday, January 9, 2013. The jug, which dates back to the sixth century BC, was likely looted from Italian soil years ago.
The Toledo Museum of Art purchased the jug in 1982 from art dealers who used falsified documents to hide the object’s dishonest past. Investigators revealed that the jug was smuggled out of Italy after it was illegally excavate sometime before 1981.
The United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency announced that the Estruscan black-figure kalpis, which is valued at $665,000, was handed back to Italian officials following a ceremony held at the museum. While Italy currently holds reign over the work, the jug will remain on view in the museum’s Libbey Court until it leaves for Rome in late summer of this year.
