GREEK POLICE ARREST TWO MEN FOR ART SMUGGLING

Greek Police Arrest Two Men with Valuable Antiquities
GREEK POLICE ARRESTED TWO MEN TRYING TO SELL SEVERAL ARTIFACTS, INCLUDING A BRONZE SCULPTURE OF EMPEROR ALEXANDER THE GREAT FROM THE 4th CENTURY BC, FOR WHICH THE ASKING PRICE WAS $9.5 MILLION, AUTHORITIES SAID SUNDAY. POLICE IDENTIFIED THE SUSPECTS AS A 48 YEAR OLD THESSALONIKI BUSINESSMAN AND A 51 YEAR OLD FARMER, BUT DID NOT PROVIDE THEIR NAMES. THE MEN WERE ARRESTED SATURDAY MORNING NEAR THE TOWN OF KAVALA, EAST OF THESSALONIKI. POLICE SEARCHED THEIR CAR AND FOUND A TREASURE TROVE THAT INCLUDED A 65 CENTIMETER STATUE OF ALEXANDER, TWO BRONZE HEADS OF A BOY AND A YOUNG MAN AND OTHER ARTIFACTS, INCLUDING TWO RARE KORANS. EXPERTS SAY THE ALEXANDER STATUE APPEARED TO COME FROM THE WORKSHOP OF LYSIPPOS, ALEXANDER'S PERSONAL SCULPTOR. CHEMICAL TESTS ARE BEING CONDUCTED AT THE THESSALONIKI ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM TO SEE WHETHER THE SCULPTURE IS AN ORIGINAL OR A CONTEMPORARY COPY, SINCE LYSIPPOS' WORKSHOP, WHICH EMPLOYED SEVERAL ARTISTS, ALSO PRODUCED REPLICAS OF ORIGINAL WORKS. THE YOUNG BOY'S HEAD, APPARENTLY PART OF A LARGER SCULPTURE, IS DATED FROM THE ROMAN ERA, IN THE 1st CENTURY BC. POLICE OFFICIALS SAY IT IS LIKELY THE TWO SMUGGLED THE ANTIQUITIES AND THE KORANS FROM TURKEY, BUT AT THIS POINT THEY ARE NOT CERTAIN ABOUT THEIR PLACE OF ORIGIN.