Etruscan Treasures Seized in Million-Dollar Artifact Bust

Italian authorities seize artifacts worth USD 8.5 million from an illegal Etruscan burial site in Umbria. Two individuals are under investigation for theft. The operation was discovered through aerial photography and phone taps, revealing sarcophagi, urns, and other relics intended for black market sale.

Italian authorities have confiscated artifacts worth USD 8.5 million from an illegal excavation of an Etruscan burial site in central Umbria. Two individuals are being investigated for the theft of urns, sarcophagi, and other invaluable relics that were poised for sale on the black market.

The unauthorized dig was found near another Etruscan burial site, unearthed by a farmer in 2015, according to officials. Authorities were alerted by photographs of artifacts circulating on the black market, resembling objects linked to the farmer's land.

An investigative team used drone technology for aerial photography and phone taps to pinpoint the site on land owned by a local businessman with access to earthmoving equipment. At the location, they unearthed two sarcophagi, believed to belong to Etruscan princesses, along with a burial collection featuring urns, perfume jars, and a bone comb.

(With inputs from agencies.)