Culture Minister Lina Mendoni accepted the return of five antiquities being repatriated from the United States, in a special ceremony at the Greek Consulate General in Chicago.
According to a culture ministry announcement on Tuesday, the items include two black-figure vases (an amphora and an olpe) from Attic workshops of the 6th century BC, a bronze mirror from the Late Archaic-Classical period, a headless marble statue of Hermes (1st century BC-1st century AD), and a fragment of a relief depicting the goddess Athena from the 2nd century AD.
The objects had been acquired in the 1970s and 1980s by the family of Richard and Mary L. Gray. In May 2025, their three children, Harry, Jennifer, and Paul Gray, contacted the Greek authorities and jointly proceeded with their voluntary return. The process was completed on Monday, organised by the Directorate for Documentation and Protection of Cultural Goods of the Ministry of Culture.
During the handover ceremony, Mendoni stated:
“ Today, another story of homecoming is written, with the return of five ancient Greek works of art to the land that created them. The decision of the Gray family to return the antiquities constitutes an act of generosity, responsibility, and a strong sense of justice. In the person of Jennifer Gray, who is present here, I express my gratitude to the Gray family for their stance, which highlights the crucial role of citizens in the protection of cultural heritage. Voluntary returns of antiquities are significant successes for our country. In recent years, more than 200 objects have been repatriated from 17 countries across all continents, reflecting the effectiveness of our strategy and the trust built between the Greek state and citizens abroad. Behind every such act lies extensive work, systematic research, and responsible guidance. Those who return Greek antiquities are rightfully counted among the friends of Greek culture and allies of our country in combating antiquities trafficking. With deep feeling, we welcome these antiquities back to their homeland. We continue consistently and with dedication our effort to protect our cultural heritage.”
The minister thanked the Gray family for their decision, as well as Greek diplomats and culture ministry officials for their contribution to the successful completion of the repatriation. She made special mention of former Consul General in San Francisco, Grigorios Tassiopoulos, for handling the case in its initial phase, and the current Consul General in Chicago, Emmanouil Koubarakis.
Among those attending the ceremony were Consul Georgia Tassiopoulou, Erin Bakunas (collections manager of the Gray Collection Trust), Vasiliki Papageorgiou (Director of Documentation and Protection of Cultural Goods at the Ministry of Culture), and other ministry officials.
