An ancient mosaic dating back 2,000 years to the time of Christ and showing the face of the Virgin Mary has been seized from a smuggler in Turkey who was trying to sell it for GBP 1.2 million.
The artefact was retrieved by police as they raided the home of an antiquities trafficking suspect in Akhisar, Manisa province, named only as S.K. in local media.
The artwork is said to depict a full head and shoulders image of Christ’s mother in remarkably preserved condition.
Local media said that S. K., 29, was arrested after attempting to sell the mosaic for TRY 50 million (GBP 1.2 million).
The ancient artwork has been put in the care of experts at the Manisa Museum Directorate while the criminal case against the suspect is prepared.
It was unclear where the mosaic originally came from but police confirmed that experts have dated it back to around the time of Christ, and it was seized in a joint operation by the Manisa Gendarmerie Command KOM Branch Directorate and Akhisar District Gendarmerie Command teams.
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Story By: Joseph Golder, Sub-Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Newsflash
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