Bettany Hughes over in Bonkers Britain may think artefact hunters are in some way helping archaeology, fortunately the Italian authorities take a more realistic view of conservation ('Ancient site found near Rome, 'tomb raiders' foiled', Gazzetta del Sud 04/09/2013). In recent months, 500 cultural works have been seized and five people charged in operations to protect Italy's heritage. In one case the farmer lost his land for allowing this to go on
Tomb robbers were looting an ancient Roman archaeological site near the ruins of a temple devoted to Juno ''The Saviour'' at Lanuvio, in the Castelli Romani (Castles of Rome) - a cluster of towns southeast of Rome. the area being looted contained the ruins of a number of buildings. Investigators retrieved five marble architectural elements, coins, and "over 24,000 terracotta fragments attributable to the late Republican and imperial period".
Investigators also found tools presumably being used for archeological theft, including metal detectors, two-way radios. The authorities commandeered 17,000 sq meters of farmland where the ruins of monumental walls were brought to light by the illegal excavation. Lazio regional authorities said the site and artifacts recovered were of great scientific interest due to the size of the discovery, the state of its preservation and the location, near an important Roman temple.
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