Italy Helps Colombia Recover Stolen Archaeological Artifacts

Italy recently returned 25 stolen pre-Columbian archeological artifacts to Colombia after recovering them from illegal art traders. Over the past few months, the Italian Police Department for the Protection of Cultural Heritage conducted several operations in the cities of Turin and Florence to tackle traffickers of cultural goods.

Italy-Colombia cooperation on archaeological looting

In March 2024, 25 artifacts were handed over to the Colombian embassy in Rome after police operations conducted in Florence and Turin shut down an illegal art trader. The recovered archaeological artifacts consist of cups, sculptures and a small terracotta statue from the Muisca, Guane, Quimbaya and Nariño indigenous cultures.

This is not the first time that Italy and Colombia have collaborated on the illegal art trade issue. Back in January 2023, Italian authorities recovered no fewer than 178 archaeological artefacts from illegal traders and collectors. These art pieces, originating from the indigenous Calima, Tumaco, Nariño, Tairona and Quimbaya cultures, were handed over to the Colombian authorities and finally sent back to Colombia on January 21, 2023.

In recent years, Colombia has made considerable efforts to recover its lost archaeological heritage. In September 2022, Colombia repatriated 274 archaeological artifacts from the United States, and more recently, 77 pre-Hispanic objects from Germany.

Colombia’s vulnerability to archaeological looting

Colombia is quite vulnerable to archaeological looting. Looters particularly target the pre-Columbian artifacts, which are highly valued on international illicit markets. The lootings are primarly conducted by local looters, known as “guaqueros”, who use their knowledge of the region to access ancient indigenous sites.

Drug cartels are also involved in these criminal activities. In fact, archaeological looting is a lucrative business: according to UNESCO, archaeological looting generates as much as $10 billion a year for criminal networks. Artifacts are indeed easy to smuggle abroad and can be used as a way to launder drug money.

Beyond criminal networks, art enthusiasts and private collectioners also contribute to the problem of illegal trade, as they constitute the consumer base that enables this trafficking.

Archaeological looting is highly damaging to national history and cultural identity, as these stolen objects, even when recovered, become “orphans”. Although it is possible to associate them with their cultural area or historical period, their removal from original context makes it impossible to understand their significance. As such, it represents a considerable loss for the cultural history of Colombia.