Atlanta, GA — A piece of art that was looted from a museum in Iraq more than 20 years ago has been returned after it was located on display in an Atlanta Museum.
The two-inch piece named “Furniture Fitting with Sphinx Trampling a Youth,” was one of several pieces pillaged from the Iraq Museum in Baghdad in 2003.
The piece was seized from the Michael C. Carlos Museum at Emory University in Atlanta once authorities determined it was the property of Iraq.
According to reports, the Carlos Museum purchased the artifact from a third party in 2006 after they were provided fake paperwork stating that the 2,700-year-old artifact entered the U.S. in 1969.
Following a years-long investigation that involved several expert parties, authorities determined that the art was on display at the Iraq Museum in 1983.
“We are glad our agents could return a small part of history back to where it belongs in Iraq,” said Keri Farley, special agent in charge of FBI Atlanta.
The relic is believed to be the first piece of art that was looted from the Iraq Museum to be found in a United States museum.