Dr. Christos Tsirogiannis provided evidence that the Roman silver plate, being sold by Bonhams, was looted from Turkey and linked to convicted trafficker Gianfranco Becchina.
The auction house Bonhams asserts they confirmed the object's provenance but continued concerns arise over the legitimacy and ethical implications of selling antiquities with suspect histories.
Over 18 years, Tsirogiannis has identified more than 1,700 looted antiquities and has played a crucial role in their repatriation to their countries of origin.
Documents retrieved from Becchina's archives illustrate a complex web of illegal antiquities trade, indicating how trafficked items like the Roman plate enter the auction market.
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