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Roman Sailor's Grave Marker Found in New Orleans Yard
2 May
Summary
- A 1,900-year-old Roman grave marker was found in a New Orleans yard.
- The epitaph identified a Roman sailor named Sextus Congenius Verus.
- The FBI officially returned the artifact to Italian officials in Rome.
An ancient Roman grave marker, approximately 1,900 years old, was discovered by a couple while clearing undergrowth in their New Orleans yard. The marble epitaph, dedicated to Sextus Congenius Verus, a Roman sailor from the second century, was eventually identified as a piece missing from a museum in Civitavecchia, Italy.
The artifact's journey to New Orleans was linked to the grandson of a US soldier who served in Italy. This soldier reportedly kept the grave marker in his home until his death in 1986. The FBI recently handed over the epitaph to Italian officials in Rome, marking its official repatriation.
This recovery occurred as part of a ceremony that also included other antiquities. The FBI highlighted its work with international partners to combat the illicit trafficking of cultural property. The US-Italy Cultural Property Agreement, the oldest of its kind with a European nation, aids in disrupting criminal financing and preserving cultural heritage.
