Historical Heists: 20 Artifacts That Wound Up on the Black Market

Daniel Bonfiglio Published 10/06/2024 in wow

Historical artifacts and classic art pieces have been used by criminals as bargaining chips and quick paths to extra cash for a long time. But criminals get caught, and authorities take restoring these artifacts seriously.

Here are 20 artifacts that ended up on the black market, and were recovered.

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1.
A Turkish police officer points to historic artifacts confiscated by police in a giant operation against smugglers in Istanbul, 2017. Police detained 13 suspects and seized 26,456 ancient Greek and Egyptian artifacts.
2.
An ivory artifact seized from a Carmel Valley man after he was found selling the illegal items on the black market.
3.
More ivory pieces from him.
4.
Afghan officials recovered 971 artifacts at a Kabul airport.
5.
Ceramics and figurines recovered in Italy.
6.
Fossils, paintings, coins and figurines are among the 19,000 artifacts recovered from 103 countries in a joint operation.
7.
Recovered coins from ISIS are displayed at the National Museum of Iraq in Baghdad.
8.
More recovered artifacts from ISIS.
9.
Antiquities seized from a smuggler, a university professor, on display in the police headquarters in Thessaloniki, Greece.
10.
A gold Tumaco mask found among gold figurines and ancient jewelry recovered at Madrid's Barajas airport.
11.
Recovered artifacts from war zones in Syria.
12.
Mapuche silverwork similar to items stolen from a museum in Chile.
13.
Just a few of the items stolen from the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge, in a massive Chinese art heist.
14.
More from the same heist.
15.
A cuneiform tablet seized by the U.S. government from Hobby Lobby, which bought items smuggled out of Iraq.
16.
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Antiquities in wrapping materials are pictured in Damascus, Syria, after lootings.
18.
Objects recovered from the looting of the Iraq National Museum.
19.
“Priceless Afghan treasures saved from black market to be displayed at British Museum.”
20.
Continued.

1.
A Turkish police officer points to historic artifacts confiscated by police in a giant operation against smugglers in Istanbul, 2017. Police detained 13 suspects and seized 26,456 ancient Greek and Egyptian artifacts.
2.
An ivory artifact seized from a Carmel Valley man after he was found selling the illegal items on the black market.
3.
More ivory pieces from him.
4.
Afghan officials recovered 971 artifacts at a Kabul airport.
5.
Ceramics and figurines recovered in Italy.
6.
Fossils, paintings, coins and figurines are among the 19,000 artifacts recovered from 103 countries in a joint operation.
7.
Recovered coins from ISIS are displayed at the National Museum of Iraq in Baghdad.
8.
More recovered artifacts from ISIS.
9.
Antiquities seized from a smuggler, a university professor, on display in the police headquarters in Thessaloniki, Greece.
10.
A gold Tumaco mask found among gold figurines and ancient jewelry recovered at Madrid's Barajas airport.
11.
Recovered artifacts from war zones in Syria.
12.
Mapuche silverwork similar to items stolen from a museum in Chile.
13.
Just a few of the items stolen from the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge, in a massive Chinese art heist.
14.
More from the same heist.
15.
A cuneiform tablet seized by the U.S. government from Hobby Lobby, which bought items smuggled out of Iraq.
16.
17.
Antiquities in wrapping materials are pictured in Damascus, Syria, after lootings.
18.
Objects recovered from the looting of the Iraq National Museum.
19.
“Priceless Afghan treasures saved from black market to be displayed at British Museum.”
20.
Continued.

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1. A Turkish police officer points to historic artifacts confiscated by police in a giant operation against smugglers in Istanbul, 2017. Police detained 13 suspects and seized 26,456 ancient Greek and Egyptian artifacts.

2. An ivory artifact seized from a Carmel Valley man after he was found selling the illegal items on the black market.

3. More ivory pieces from him.

4. Afghan officials recovered 971 artifacts at a Kabul airport.

5. Ceramics and figurines recovered in Italy.

6. Fossils, paintings, coins and figurines are among the 19,000 artifacts recovered from 103 countries in a joint operation.

7. Recovered coins from ISIS are displayed at the National Museum of Iraq in Baghdad.

8. More recovered artifacts from ISIS.

9. Antiquities seized from a smuggler, a university professor, on display in the police headquarters in Thessaloniki, Greece.

10. A gold Tumaco mask found among gold figurines and ancient jewelry recovered at Madrid's Barajas airport.

11. Recovered artifacts from war zones in Syria.

12. Mapuche silverwork similar to items stolen from a museum in Chile.

13. Just a few of the items stolen from the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge, in a massive Chinese art heist.

14. More from the same heist.

15. A cuneiform tablet seized by the U.S. government from Hobby Lobby, which bought items smuggled out of Iraq.

16.

17. Antiquities in wrapping materials are pictured in Damascus, Syria, after lootings.

18. Objects recovered from the looting of the Iraq National Museum.

19. “Priceless Afghan treasures saved from black market to be displayed at British Museum.”

20. Continued.

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1.
A Turkish police officer points to historic artifacts confiscated by police in a giant operation against smugglers in Istanbul, 2017. Police detained 13 suspects and seized 26,456 ancient Greek and Egyptian artifacts.

2.
An ivory artifact seized from a Carmel Valley man after he was found selling the illegal items on the black market.

3.
More ivory pieces from him.

4.
Afghan officials recovered 971 artifacts at a Kabul airport.

5.
Ceramics and figurines recovered in Italy.

6.
Fossils, paintings, coins and figurines are among the 19,000 artifacts recovered from 103 countries in a joint operation.

7.
Recovered coins from ISIS are displayed at the National Museum of Iraq in Baghdad.

8.
More recovered artifacts from ISIS.

9.
Antiquities seized from a smuggler, a university professor, on display in the police headquarters in Thessaloniki, Greece.

10.
A gold Tumaco mask found among gold figurines and ancient jewelry recovered at Madrid's Barajas airport.

11.
Recovered artifacts from war zones in Syria.

12.
Mapuche silverwork similar to items stolen from a museum in Chile.

13.
Just a few of the items stolen from the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge, in a massive Chinese art heist.

14.
More from the same heist.

15.
A cuneiform tablet seized by the U.S. government from Hobby Lobby, which bought items smuggled out of Iraq.

17.
Antiquities in wrapping materials are pictured in Damascus, Syria, after lootings.

18.
Objects recovered from the looting of the Iraq National Museum.

19.
“Priceless Afghan treasures saved from black market to be displayed at British Museum.”

20.
Continued.