2,500 year-old illegally excavated statue recovered in Greece


Greek authorities say they have arrested two men in possession of an illegally excavated ancient marble statue of a young man, which they were allegedly trying to sell for 200,000 euros ($220,000).

The badly battered work had been broken recently into four pieces about half a meter (1.6 feet) long when assembled, and was made around 550 B.C, police said Friday. Most of the face is disfigured, and the legs are missing below the knee.

It was unclear where and in what circumstances the work was excavated.

Police said they recovered it Wednesday from under the front passenger seat of a car the two suspects were driving near the town of Corinth in the southern Peloponnese region.

The suspects were identified as Greek men aged 36 and 63.