The selling of the late classical “Dorias” Stele, during a Christie’s auction stirred up the Greek Culture Ministry’s discontent, saying according to ministry’s sources that Greece will continue to claim the item using all available legal means. The Culture ministry had earlier asked Christie's to withdraw the item from auction, as there was firm evidence that it had been illegally exported from Greece.
The fact that the stele was sold does not preclude its repatriation, the sources said. There was a similar incident in 2012, when a marble Byzantine architectural segment from the Temple of the Saviour in Messinia was returned to Greece after being sold by the same auction house. The opposite is also possible to happen, said the same circles. The object could be withdrawn, but due to a lack of evidence the auction house requests compensation from the Greek state. “This is why we need to handle similar cases very carefully, as the illegal activity which took place happened a long time ago”, they stressed. The Directorate of Documentation has to remain separate from other ministry sectors as it handles issues of such serious nature, they added.
The carved marble stele, dated 350-325 B.C., was sold on Wednesday for the sum of 75,000 pounds sterling (104,458.63 euros).