Pompeya’s archaeological park on Tuesday has incorporated a Roman mosaic of the Tardorrepublican or Altoimperial era, plundered to Italy during World War II and located in Germany in 2023.
The mosaic, performed on travertine slab (sedimentary rock) represents a couple of semi -naked lovers. According to Carabineros for the protection of cultural heritage (TPC), the work dates from between the first century and the 1st century and comes from the Vesubian area near Pompeya.
After investigations initiated two years ago, the Italian police identified the panel in a private collection in Stuttgart, Germany. The last holder, a deceased German citizen, had received him from an officer of the Wehrmacht outstanding in Italy during the conflict.
In September 2023, the heirs contacted the TPC command and delivered the piece to the Consulate General of Italy in Stuttgart, which managed their transfer through a diplomatic shipment. Once in Rome, archaeological park specialists compared technical and aesthetic features with other mosaics in the region, confirming its Vesubian origin.
From today, the mosaic is part of the official inventory of the park. It is cataloged and protected, and its public exhibition is expected in a room dedicated to Pompeyan domestic art, accompanied by teaching materials that explain their historical context and the route followed until its return.