L'Aquila, the Carabinieri of the TPC unit recover over 1800 archaeological finds. 7 people reported
The operation has allowed the recovery of more than 1800 cultural, archaeological and numismatic assets, which can then be returned to the community for future museum exhibitions in the area for free viewing by the community.
L'Aquila, the Carabinieri of the TPC unit recover over 1800 archaeological finds. 7 people reported
The Carabinieri of the TPC Nucleus of L'Aquila, with the assistance of the territorial force, They notified seven subjects of the notice of conclusion of the preliminary investigations issued by the Public Prosecutor's Office of Pescara, as they are accused, in various capacities and in competition with each other, of violations in the field of archaeological research, unjustified possession of instruments for surveying the ground, theft and receiving of cultural goods.
The operation began with a communication received by the TPC Nucleus of L'Aquila from the military of the Carabinieri Forestali Station of Barisciano, who in August 2023 had surprised near the archaeological area of Peltuinum, in the Municipality of Prata d'Ansidonia, two individuals intent on carrying out searches with the aid of metal detectors. The same individuals were subsequently caught "sweeping with the metal detector" also in the Municipality of Popoli (PE), in areas subject to archaeological constraints for historical interest relating to the early medieval period.
On behalf of the Pescara Public Prosecutor's Office, which coordinated the investigations, searches were carried out, also with the assistance of the Carabinieri of the local Provincial Command, at the homes of the people under investigation, with the seizure of 518 archaeological/paleontological artefacts, 19 research and cleaning tools for archaeological material and 459 ancient coins including a quarter of a Carlino from the Kingdom of Naples Philip II, a coin considered extremely rare.
The technical examination, carried out by MiC officials on the seized assets, confirmed that the coins all come from a limited area of central-southern Italy, included in a broad historical period that goes from the beginning of the monetary circulation of Sannio to the early 1900s. The coins, the result of clandestine recoveries from the subsoil, are of an archaeological nature and, therefore, subject to the protection provided for by the Cultural Heritage Code.
Further investigations verified the involvement of five other people in illegal archaeological research, theft and receiving of cultural goods. Further searches were then carried out against them, with the help of the territorial Arma of the Carabinieri Companies of Avezzano, Popoli and Sulmona, which led to the discovery of a further 28 tools for research and cleaning of archaeological material, including 4 metal detectors, 598 objects all from underground and a further 274 coins and 3 computer devices. Officials from the MIC and the Superintendency responsible for the territory have established that more than half of the assets are of archaeological interest and over 250 coins are authentic and included in the category of cultural assets.
The operation, which lasted about a year, has therefore allowed the recovery of more than 1800 cultural, archaeological and numismatic assets, which can then be returned to the community for future museum exhibitions in the area for free viewing by the community.
Reproduction reserved © Copyright La Milano