Greek authorities seize rare 6th century BC kouros head in Corinth

Investigators with the Hellenic Police’s (ELAS) department for the protection of cultural heritage and antiquities seized what is believed to be a rare 6th century BC statue fragment during a raid in Corinth, according to an announcement this week.

Credit: ANA-MPA

The fragment is a 40 cm head and part of the neck of a larger-than-life kouros, a statue of a young man, dating from the archaic period and considered of tremendous archaeological value because of its age, provenance, details and construction.

The item was found hidden among rocks on a rural road in Nemea in Corinth, during an investigation into a Greek man who was allegedly planning to sell the artifact for 500,000 euros. The suspect has been arrested, while the head has been sent for expert analysis.

Credit: Hellenic Police

Earlier this week Greek authorities also arrested a 61-year-old doctor and his 42-year-old wife on charges on antiquities smuggling after finding a Neolithic statue and a classical-era amphora during raids of their home and business.

Credit: Hellenic Police

The two objects, which were seized along with an unlicensed flair gun, were sent to experts at the Piraeus ephorates for Antiquities and Underwater Antiquities, where they ascertained that the statue depicts a fertility goddess and is dated to around 4000 BC, while the amphora originates either from the island of Samos or Thasos and dates from between 500 and 400 BC.

The statue will be handed over to the National Archaeological Museum, while the amphora will be placed in the keeping of the Ephorate of Underwater Antiquities.

Source: Kathimerini [December 25, 2019]



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