DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. - The Michael C. Carlos Museum at Emory University has returned three "illicitly exported" artifacts to Greece, according to The Emory Wheel.
The three pieces were a marble sculpture of a goddess or muse, an ancient bathtub and a marble seated figure.
All the pieces had previously been in the possession of convicted or accused antiquities traffickers.
Professor Emerita of History Cynthia Patterson said she has a hard time believing the Carlos Museum staff did not know at least one of the pieces was possibly stolen since the museum's curator at the time of purchase had worked with the suspected trafficker.
The museum was asked to return the pieces in 2007, according to The Emory Wheel. However, they did not act on the requests until now.
The Hellenic Republic Minister of Culture Lina Mendoni expressed her gratitude that the items were being returned to Greece during a press conference on Monday.
The university also signed an agreement of cultural cooperation with Greece that will provide expanded opportunities for Emory students, faculty and staff to participate in Greek archaeological digs and excavations.
In March 2023, a 2,700-year-old artifact that had been stolen from Iraq was found in the museum by FBI agents. Emory officials purchased the artifact in 2006.