Forensic Archaeologist Tracks Down Trafficked Antiquities

While museums and cultural institutions are increasingly addressing the complicated colonial histories of their collections, the problem of illegally trafficked antiquities often remains hidden. Christos Tsirogiannis, a Greek forensic archaeologist and Cambridge University lecturer, is working to change that.

For nearly two decades, the 52-year-old has been meticulously examining inventories from museums, auction houses, and private collections, searching for signs of illicitly traded artifacts.

Recently, Tsirogiannis alerted CNN to two items listed for sale by Bonhams, a leading auction house, that had previously passed through the hands of a convicted antiquities trafficker.

Bonhams was scheduled to auction the items as part of a larger antiquities sale in London on December 4th. That said, the reality is a bit more complicated. after CNN contacted them regarding the suspicious origins of the pieces, they were removed from the sale.

The items in question were a Greek terracotta female figure (400-200 BC) and an Attic red-figure pelike (an amphora-like container) dating from 400-300 BC. Both were crafted by Greek artisans in southern Italy. The pieces had been valued between £2,000 ($2,670) and £3,000 ($4,000) each and are now listed as "withdrawn" on Bonhams’ website.

In a statement to CNN, Bonhams confirmed the items were withdrawn “pending further review.”

These withdrawn lots represent just the latest finds in Tsirogiannis's ongoing efforts.