The United States returned six ancient artifacts, five of them made of gold, to the government of Afghanistan Monday after federal authorities seized them as part of an investigation into the looting of cultural antiquities.
During a ceremony in Washington, officials from the Department of Homeland Security’s customs enforcement division said the items were seized more than two years ago from cargo shipped to Newark Liberty International Airport and destined for a business suspected of dealing in looted artifacts.
They declined to name the company, but said it remains the subject of an investigation. The officials said investigators for the department’s New York El Dorado Task Force, which looks into financial crimes, had pursued leads in London, Dubai and the New York metropolitan region.
The items were returned to Ambassador Eklil Hakimi during a ceremony at the Afghan Embassy and included three fifth century B.C.E. golden foil appliqués depicting horned antelopes; two coiled gold ornaments from the 17th century, together weighing about a pound; and a 12.75-inch-high Roman wine pitcher carved in metal and dated between the fifth and eighth centuries C.E.
While federal officials have made a visible show of seeking artifacts looted from Iraq after the United States-led invasion in 2003, they have also been on the lookout for looted Afghan antiquities. This was the fourth repatriation since 2005 involving such objects. Previous items include eight Bronze Age artifacts from 2,000 B.C.E. that had been looted from tombs and sold in the United States; and two coins estimated to be more than 2,000 years old.
Officials said the specific location of the looting and its timing were still being investigated.
