Two rucksacks full of antiquities were located and confiscated by the Ioannina police in a wooded area in Koronesia, Arta, on Tuesday, May 22, 2018. It is the fourth case of antiquity smuggling in the last two months.

Specifically, as part of targeted operations to deter the possession and trafficking of ancient artefacts and after an assessment of information and data, the police located the two rucksacks “waiting for their recipient”, that were full of ancient artefacts.

The archaeologist in charge at the Ephorate of Antiquities of Ioannina who examined the contents of the rucksacks said that these are artefacts that are protected under the law “regarding the protection of antiquities and cultural heritage in general”.

The following artefacts were found inside the two rucksacks: a loom weight from the Roman period, part of an open stone vessel, date unknown, a stone palmette capital from a stele, dating from between the Archaic and Roman period, a stone architectural member from between the Archaic and Roman period, a clay fragment from between the Archaic and Roman period, a fragment of a stone vessel with a handle, date unknown, a clay statuette from between the Archaic and Roman period, part of the base of a vessel of the Roman period, a clay loom weight from between Archaic and Roman times, a clay stopper, date unknown, part of a stone architectural member, date unknown, part of a stone architectural member, date unknown, a round stone stopper, date unknown, a fragment of an architectural member, date unknown, a triangular stone object ,date unknown, a stone fragment, date unknown, nine tips of Neolithic stone tools, three handles of vessels that date from 7000 BC to 1000 BC, two round stone spheres, dates unknown, a pyramid shaped artefact, date unknown, four fragments of stone tools, dates unknown, four Byzantine coins, four coins unidentifiable due to oxidization, eight ancient coins of the Hellenistic period.

The confiscated items will be sent to the Archaeological Service in charge for further examination, for their accurate dating and an estimation of their archaeological value.

The Ioannina Police are conducting a preliminary investigation.