German tourist returns ancient Greek artefact she stole from Olympia 50 years ago

A German woman has returned an ancient Greek artefact she stole more than 50 years ago from the archaeological site of Olympia.

The artefact, a fragment from a limestone column capital, measures 24 cm in height and 33.5 cm in width. It was originally taken from the Leonidaion, a 4th-century BC guesthouse that once hosted athletes and dignitaries in ancient Olympia, according to Greek media reports.

The official handover took place on October 10 and was facilitated by the University of Münster in Germany. This marks the third time in recent years that the institution has helped repatriate a Greek artefact.

According to information released by the Greek Ministry of Culture, cited in the article, the woman voluntarily returned the piece after being inspired by the university’s recent restitutions of Greek antiquities.

The ministry commended her “sensitivity and courage” in addressing the decades-old wrongdoing, adding that the return demonstrates how “culture and history know no borders but require cooperation, responsibility, and mutual respect.”

The University of Münster has maintained a consistent role in the return of cultural heritage items to Greece. In 2019, it repatriated a twin-handled wine cup belonging to a Greek champion from the first modern Olympic Games in Athens in 1896. In 2024, it returned a Roman-era marble male head believed to have originated from a cemetery in Thessaloniki.

Greece continues to prioritize the diplomatic return of looted artefacts through peaceful negotiation rather than litigation. Its foremost goal remains the repatriation of the Parthenon Marbles, which have been held by the British Museum since the 19th century.

By Nazrin Sadigova