London's British Museum has recently announced in a public release that it will be putting previously stolen items on show in its upcoming February exhibition, "Rediscovering Gems," which will feature seals and jewelry from the ancient Mediterranean world.
Intaglio with profile bust of Minerva or Athena in black glass with white band, Roman 1st c. BC-1st c. AD, which is part of the upcoming the British Museum exhibition "Rediscovering Gems."
The British Museum's Exhibition of Stolen and Recovered Items
The items are part of some 2,000 objects the museum had announced to have gone missing, stolen, or damaged last August. After launching a recovery program shortly after, hundreds of the stolen objects have been safely returned.
According to the release, the institution said that it will continue to work with the Metropolitan Police and an international group of experts to find and retrieve the remaining artifacts eventually.
The majority of the previously missing items were classified as classical gems and gold jewelry, and a selection from these recovered artifacts is what the museum will showcase for the first time in the upcoming exhibition.
As per the museum, among the items included are "two Roman glass gems from the late 1st century BC to early 1st century AD, an intaglio which features a profile bust of Minerva, and a cameo with a bust of Cupid."
Of the ensuing "Rediscovering Gems" show, the British Museum's Chairman of the Board of Trustees George Osborne said that it was part of their promise to share with the world the missing gems, instead of "hiding them away."
"It's another example of culture change underway at the British Museum, as we open up and take ownership of our own story," he continued.
Similarly quoted in the release, Keeper of the Department of Greece and Rome Tom Harrison, said: "We are delighted to be able to put on this exhibition and showcase some of the stunning recovered gems which are now safely back in the Museum's collection"
For Harrison, this also serves as an "interesting opportunity" to cast a "spotlight" on an underrated but very captivating artform in which the gems were crafted through.
Admission for the "Rediscovering Gems" exhibition will be free and will be held at the British Museum's Room 3 from Feb. 15 through June 2. The show will be open daily, starting at 10:00 AM until 5:00 PM local time.
