Thieves Pry off Ancient Fresco From Pompeii Walls

Thieves Pry off Ancient Fresco From Pompeii Walls

Thieves have pried off a chunk of an ancient fresco of the Greek goddess Artemis from the walls of Pompeii.

Pompeii's archaeological authorities said Tuesday the theft occurred on March 12 in the "Home of Neptune," in an area of Pompeii's sprawling excavation site not currently open to the public.

The thieves used a metal object to scrape off the upper corner of the fresco, making off with a faded, 20-centimeter image of Artemis, the Pompeii authorities said in a statement.

It's the latest setback for the popular tourist site, which has seen several walls collapse in recent months due to heavy rains. Similar collapses in recent years have prompted an infusion of EU funds.

Authorities said they delayed announcing the theft until Tuesday to not interfere with the investigation.

If there is one thing that really get's my blood boiling it's this type of ignorance. This reminds me of the defacing of the rock glyph in the american Southwest or the bone headed Boy scout troop leader knocking over balancing rocks. Never mind the Taliban blowing up Buddha.

Here we have a very historically unique location being defaced probably for profit. This never ends. I hope when they catch these guys they really stick it to them.

This is precisely why we can't have nice things.

The sad thing is, that there are many people who think things like this have no other value than monetary gain. They have no appreciation for history, art, etc.

Hopefully they will be caught. Regrettably.... the damage is done.

reply to post by SLAYER69


That is brutal.... I bet that if it wasnt found already that its likely gone for good now. Im sure some one has bought it for their private collection.

reply to post by snypwsd


I hate to say it but more often than not a private collector takes better care of artifacts than do some institutions,Universities and Museums. But, how they acquire the item should be legally not getting something purchased on the black market, second hand that was hacked off a known site in that manner as this has been.

This makes me want to cry It's also one of the reasons we probably don't know a lot of things about our past and history. Because thieves keep stealing pieces for wealthy private collectors.

Hopefully someone will either purchase the piece and give it back, or the art world will keep a lookout for someone trying to move it and get it back through some local authorities. Very ignorant people usually end up doing ignorant things to get caught, and this may be the outcome in this case.

I haven't been in here in awhile and I'm catching up, but damn this is how a lot of history has been lost: thrives, treasure hunters, conquerors and the nazis in Indiana Jones. Sad that these things will be lost to the public but slayer is right about it being taken care of better by the people who end up with it and not just being stored in the back to be lost again.

so depressing...a crowbar...

Its ashamed what some people will do for a buck.But robbing Pompeii is like desecrating a gravesite..

reply to post by SLAYER69


Wow. Pompeii IS the most amazing site I've ever been to. I was so not prepared for how amazing it was before I went. It was huge and it was eerie to walk through it and see the evidence of a civilization of people wiped out. It was even eerier to see Vesuvius in all her glory right there in plain site, she's huge.

This makes me sad that someone would do this and for what? Money?!! It will probably end up in some private collection sadly.

It really irks me when people deface history like this. It's for pure greed. I bet it was a beautiful piece. Just the parts that I saw still had some beautiful art work on the walls. I can only image how it looked in all it's glory before Vesuvius.