Historic artifacts recovered in Italy, returned to Pakistan

​​​​​​​By Berk Kutay Gokmen

ISTANBUL (AA) - Ancient artifacts have been returned to Pakistan after they were recovered in Italy, the Pakistani Embassy in Rome said Tuesday.

The artifacts, which belong to the prehistoric Kuli and Naal cultures of Balochistan and are nearly 5,000 years old, arrived in Pakistan from Rome on Oct. 30.

The embassy noted that nearly 100 culturally important items have been retrieved and returned to Pakistani authorities in Italy in the last 18 years.

“Recovery of stolen & smuggled artefacts is an outstanding example of excellent cooperation between two friendly States, both being homes to ancient civilizations and UNESCO sites,” said the statement.

The Pakistani Embassy in Rome expressed gratitude to Italian authorities for their support, emphasizing the deep-rooted collaboration in archaeological research between the two countries.

Since its establishment in 1955 by professor Giuseppe Tucci, the Italian Archaeological Mission in Swat has conducted significant excavations and research, resulting in nearly 1,500 publications on sites in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

Two Italian scholars involved in Pakistan's archaeological work, Dr. Luca Maria Olivieri and Dr. Valeria Fiorani Piacentini, received the Sitara-e-Imtiaz (Star of Distinction) in 2016 and Tamgha-e-Pakistan (Medal of Pakistan) on March 23, 2025, respectively, in recognition of their contributions.

“Pakistan prides its extraordinary standing among comity of nations as being a ‘Cradle of Civilizations,’” the statement added.