A beautiful mosaic panel, which was stolen from the famed ancient city of Pompeii during World War II, has been returned home. This momentous occasion comes after a long search to find her. Dating back to the mid-1st century BC to the 1st century AD. Consider its portrayal of The Dreamer, which offers a stunning representation of a man lying in bed with a nude woman standing next to him. It was this important artifact that was confiscated by a German Nazi captain. He served in the Wehrmacht, dealing with military logistics in occupied Italy during the war.
The descendants of a deceased German citizen contacted Italy’s Carabinieri cultural heritage protection squad in Rome. This initial contact was the catalyst for the mosaic’s return. They couldn’t believe it, but then they found out that the panel had been a gift from the Wehrmacht captain to their ancestor. The Carabinieri cultural heritage protection squad has been dedicated to recovering stolen artworks and relics, reclaiming over three million items since its establishment in 1969.
This mosaic is historically very important. It’s an immensely important part of our diverse cultural heritage that almost faded away in wartime. In AD 79, a massive eruption of Mount Vesuvius buried the thriving city of Pompeii beneath a thick blanket of volcanic ash. Spain buried the shimmering city again, until its recent rediscovery by archaeologists last century.
The director of the Pompeii archaeological park, Gabriel Zuchtriegel, shared his appreciation for the return of the mosaic.
“Every looted artefact that returns is a wound that heals, so we express our gratitude to the protection unit for the work they have done,” – Gabriel Zuchtriegel
The restoration of this mosaic marks an important victory in Italy’s years-long battle to repatriate its cultural treasures. Like the trend of repatriation overall, this trend is growing quickly. In recent years, we’ve had some incredible positive returns. A Canadian woman returned fragments in 2020 after receiving the pieces because they were cursed, and six wall fresco fragments from Stabiae returned in 2021 after a long investigation.
“The wound lies not so much in the material value of the work but in its historical value, a value that is severely compromised by the illicit trafficking of antiquities.” – Gabriel Zuchtriegel
The return of this mosaic is part of a larger trend of repatriation efforts aimed at restoring Italy’s cultural treasures. In recent years, other notable returns include fragments sent back by a Canadian woman in 2020 who claimed they were cursed, as well as six wall fresco fragments from Stabiae returned in 2021 after thorough investigations.