Investigations and rediscovered treasures, the Museum of Saved Art reopens

There are the kind faces of the female characters who have been resting on the ballot boxes for centuries cinerary urns in alabaster. But also part of what was renamed the London and New York Treasury, built for years from a well-known English antique dealer, who flew overseas. And then the parade helmets and bronze breastplates, which still echo of blood and triumphs, recognized by the photographic images of the Carabinieri database. Or the Potnia-Theron, deity tamer of wild beasts that stands out on the antefix that from Hellenistic sanctuary of Ardea had arrived, passing through the clandestine market, up to the Israel Museum in Jerusalem. They are some of the wonders featured in the Octagonal Hall of the Baths of Diocletian where the Museum has reopened to the public of the saved art, with a new exhibition itinerary entitled, precisely, New recoveries. In all, over 100 works from the 9th century BC to the 3rd AD, recovered from the illicit market or repatriated from the USA and several European countries between 2022 and 2025 from Carabinieri Command for the Protection of Cultural Heritage. Treasures that the international network of criminals had "stolen" voice", but which now also tell great stories of investigations, seizures, arrests and international agreements. Those that raise of greatest curiosity are the richly decorated cinerary urns decorated from the 3rd century BC attributable to an illegal excavation in Città Della Pieve but also the bronze statue of a mature togatus, recovered with Operation Phoenix in Belgium and stylistically close to the works of the sanctuary of San Casciano dei Bagni. "The recovery of a work - explains the interim director of the National Roman Museum, Edith Gabrielli - it does not end only with its return, but with the restitution of its meaning". On display until August 31st with free admission and then included in the Museum ticket, the finds will then be placed in the museums public areas (sometimes presumed) of origin.