Culture Minister Lina Mendoni received, in a special ceremony at the Consulate General of Greece in Chicago, five antiquities repatriated from the United States. According to an announcement by the Ministry of Culture, these are two black and white vases (amphora and olpi) from Attic workshops of the 6th century BC, a bronze mirror of the Late Archaic-Classical period, a headless marble statue of Hermes (1st century BC – 1st century AD) and a part of an anaglyph, with a representation of the goddess Athena, of the 2nd century AD.
The objects were acquired in the 1970s and 1980s by the Richard and Mary L. Gray family. In May 2025, their three children, Harry, Jeniffer and Paul Gray, contacted the Greek authorities and jointly proceeded with their voluntary return. The process was completed yesterday, under the responsibility of the Directorate of Documentation and Protection of Cultural Property of the Ministry of Culture.
Lina Mendoni at the handover ceremony said: “Today, another history of deliciousness is being written, with the return of five ancient Greek works of art to the land that created them. The Gray family’s decision to return the antiquities is an act of generosity, responsibility and a high sense of justice. On behalf of Jeniffer Gray, I express my gratitude to the Gray family for their attitude, which highlights the crucial role of citizens in protecting cultural heritage. Voluntary handovers of antiquities are important successes for our country. In recent years, more than 200 objects have been repatriated from 17 countries, from all continents, which reflects the effectiveness of our strategy and the trust that has been built between the Greek State and citizens abroad. Behind every such operation lies a lot of work, systematic research and responsible guidance. Those who return Greek antiquities are rightly ranked among the friends of Greek culture and allies of our country in the fight against antiquities theft. It is with emotion that we welcome the antiquities back home. We continue with consistency and dedication the effort to protect our cultural heritage.”
The Minister thanked the Gray family for their decision, as well as the Greek diplomats and officials of the Ministry of Culture for their contribution to the successful completion of the repatriation, noting in particular the contribution of the former Consul General, in San Francisco, Gregory Tassiopoulos for handling the case in its initial phase and the Consul General in Chicago, Emmanuel Koubarakis.
The ceremony was attended by, among others, Consul Georgia Tasiopoulou, Gray Collection Trust collections manager Erin Bakunas, the Director of Documentation and Protection of Cultural Property of the Ministry of Culture Vasiliki Papageorgiou and officials of the Ministry of Culture.
