Italy Returns Ancient Stele, Illegally Exported, to Türkiye

This picture made available by the Carabinieri Command for the Protection of Cultural Heritage on Friday, April 28, 2023, shows a funerary stele, conventionally referred to as "Bride of the Desert" and illegally excavated in the ancient Roman archaeological site of Zeugma in eastern Türkiye. (Carabinieri via AP)
This picture made available by the Carabinieri Command for the Protection of Cultural Heritage on Friday, April 28, 2023, shows a funerary stele, conventionally referred to as "Bride of the Desert" and illegally excavated in the ancient Roman archaeological site of Zeugma in eastern Türkiye. (Carabinieri via AP)
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Italy Returns Ancient Stele, Illegally Exported, to Türkiye

This picture made available by the Carabinieri Command for the Protection of Cultural Heritage on Friday, April 28, 2023, shows a funerary stele, conventionally referred to as "Bride of the Desert" and illegally excavated in the ancient Roman archaeological site of Zeugma in eastern Türkiye. (Carabinieri via AP)
This picture made available by the Carabinieri Command for the Protection of Cultural Heritage on Friday, April 28, 2023, shows a funerary stele, conventionally referred to as "Bride of the Desert" and illegally excavated in the ancient Roman archaeological site of Zeugma in eastern Türkiye. (Carabinieri via AP)

Italy on Friday returned to Turkish authorities a funerary stele, dating from the second century and carrying a loving inscription to the dead woman's spouse, after investigation determined that it was illegally excavated from southeastern Türkiye.

Italy’s specialized Carabinieri paramilitary police art squad said it had determined after extensive investigation that the object was illegally exported, eventually winding up in a private home in Florence, Italy, after being purchased in France.

The art squad for decades has been in the vanguard of efforts to ensure that artistic and archaeological works are returned to their rightful country of provenance if exported without permission.

Its efforts have resulted in hundreds of artworks and artifacts being returned to Italy from prestigious museums and from private collectors worldwide.

The stone work depicts a noblewoman, wearing a veil and a tunic. Her right hand is placed on her left breast. Under the bust refiguring the deceased is an inscription in ancient Greek reading, “Satornila, the wife who loves her husband, farewell!”

The stele was illegally excavated near the ancient city of Zeugma, in what is near Gaziantep, in present-day southeastern Türkiye, the police said. It dates from the mid-to-late second century, the Carabinieri said.

Zeuguma, on the Euphrates River, was first an ancient Greek settlement and later became part of the Roman Empire. It was founded around 300 B.C. by a general of Alexander the Great.

The stele was handed over to the Turkish ambassador to Italy for return to Türkiye.



China Snow Village Apologizes for Fake Cotton Snow 

People walk along a street in Beijing, China, 16 February 2025. (EPA) 
People walk along a street in Beijing, China, 16 February 2025. (EPA) 
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China Snow Village Apologizes for Fake Cotton Snow 

People walk along a street in Beijing, China, 16 February 2025. (EPA) 
People walk along a street in Beijing, China, 16 February 2025. (EPA) 

A tourist village in China's southwestern province of Sichuan famed for its scenic snow landscape said it was sorry for using cotton wool and soapy water to create fake snow after online criticism from visitors went viral.

In a post on its official Wechat account on February 8, the Chengdu Snow Village project said during the Lunar New Year holiday at the end of January, the weather was warm and the snow village did not take shape as anticipated.

China is facing hotter and longer heat waves and more frequent and unpredictable heavy rain as a result of climate change, the country's weather bureau has warned.

"In order to create a 'snowy' atmosphere the tourist village purchased cotton for the snow...but it did not achieve the expected effect, leaving a very bad impression on tourists who came to visit," the Chengdu Snow Village project said in the statement.

After receiving feedback from the majority of netizens, the tourist area began to clean up all the snow cotton.

The village said it "deeply apologizes" for the changes and that tourists could get a refund. The site has since been closed.

Photos on Wechat showed large cotton wool sheets strewn about the grounds, only partially covering leafy areas. A thick snow layer appeared to blanket the houses in the zone but as you got closer, it was all cotton, said one netizen.

"A snow village without snow," said another user.

"In today's age of well-developed Internet, scenic spots must advertise truthfully and avoid deception or false advertising, otherwise they will only shoot themselves in the foot."