A sixth-century BC bronze relic
has been stolen from a show at the Pompeii archaeological site,
sources said Thursday.
The piece, a door ornament, was on display at the 'Pompeii
and the Greeks' exhibit at the site's Palestra Grande (large
gymnasium), the sources said.
The theft is thought to have taken place while the site was
open to the public. Carabinieri police are investigating.
Massimo Osanna, the director general of the Pompeii
archaeological site, expressed dismay.
"In addition to being a gesture that injures Pompeii and
Italy's cultural heritage, even though it is not a priceless
piece, it hits me on a personal level and it was an area where I
had conducted the excavation myself," he said.
The piece, which has a diametre of 7.3 centimetres, was one
of four applied to a reproduction of an ancient door.
It was on loan from the southern city of Potenza's Dinu
Adamesteanu museum and its value for insurance purposes is 300
euros.
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