A small marble fragment believed to be from a 6th-century B.C. temple on the Acropolis has been voluntarily returned to Greece by a family in Chile that had held it for nearly a century, the culture ministry announced.
The current owner of the artifact contacted the Greek Embassy in Santiago earlier this year to return the piece, saying he was inspired by Greece's ongoing campaign for the repatriation of the Parthenon Sculptures from the British Museum.
The fragment, a decorative water spout, has been delivered to the Ephorate of Antiquities of Athens.
Experts there believe it belongs to an archaic temple on the Acropolis, possibly the Hekatompedos, built around 570-550 B.C.
“For Greece, the repatriation of every cultural artifact that has been illegally taken gives us great joy and satisfaction,”
Culture Minister Mrs. Lina Mendoni said in a statement. She added that the return was the result of close collaboration between the ministry and the Greek embassy in Chile.