Greece has successfully recovered a substantial number of looted artifacts, which includes a remarkable 2nd-Century bronze statue portraying Alexander the Great.

According to officials, this trove of treasures was reclaimed following a protracted legal battle with the company associated with a British antiquities dealer named Robin Symes. Symes had amassed a vast collection of illicitly obtained pieces as part of an illegal trading network.

For years, Greece has been steadfastly pursuing the return of looted artifacts from museums and private collections around the world. Greek Culture Minister Lina Mendoni made the announcement on Friday that 351 objects from Symes’s collection would be repatriated, marking the culmination of a 17-year legal struggle.

It remains undisclosed whether these artifacts are connected to the 2016 discovery made by Italian and Swiss authorities. During that time, a cache of archaeological treasures, allegedly stored by Symes at the Geneva freeport in Switzerland, was uncovered.

The Parthenon Sculptures, widely regarded as the most prominent artworks in the debate surrounding the repatriation of cultural items to their countries of origin, are of particular significance. These sculptures were originally removed from the Parthenon temple in Athens during the early 19th Century by Lord Elgin, a British soldier and diplomat. Subsequently, the British government acquired the sculptures in 1816, placing them in the British Museum. Talks regarding the potential return of the Parthenon Sculptures are reported to be progressing.

In a similar vein, the Vatican made a noteworthy gesture in March when it returned three fragments from Athens’ Parthenon temple, which had been held in its possession for centuries. This action reflects the growing trend of institutions and countries acknowledging the importance of restoring cultural heritage to their countries of origin.