An ancient erotic mosaic showing a sensual scene, stolen by a Nazi officer during World War II, has been returned to Pompeii after more than 80 years. The piece, believed to have once adorned a bedroom floor, was taken from the Roman ruins by a German Wehrmacht captain stationed in Italy. It later resurfaced in Germany as part of a private estate.
The erotic mosaic dates back to between the 1st century BC and 1st century AD. It features a couple in an intimate pose and is believed to have been part of a domestic space in the ancient city buried when Mount Vesuvius erupted in AD 79.
Stunning mosaic stolen by Nazi captain in WW2 returned to #pompeii pic.twitter.com/PUpnzqby7V
— JosephineMcKenna (@JosephineMcK) July 15, 2025
Family contacts Italian authorities after discovery
After the death of its longtime German owner, the mosaic was discovered among the individual’s belongings. Relatives, aware of its origins, contacted Italy’s Carabinieri art protection unit to return the piece. The investigation confirmed the mosaic’s authenticity, and the Italian consulate in Stuttgart arranged its repatriation.
Experts at the Pompeii archaeological park believe the artifact likely came from a private home, though its exact original location remains unclear. For now, the piece will be held at the Pompeii Antiquarium museum, where it will undergo further study.
“Every looted artefact that returns is a wound that heals,” said Gabriel Zuchtriegel, director of the archaeological park. “The wound lies not so much in the material value of the work but in its historical value, a value that is severely compromised by the illicit trafficking of antiquities.”
Zuchtriegel added that while the precise provenance may remain unknown, archaeometric studies could help trace the mosaic’s journey. Specialists plan to use scientific methods to verify the material and reconstruct its historical context as accurately as possible.
Carabinieri unit has recovered millions of stolen artworks
The Carabinieri unit, established in 1969 to combat cultural heritage crime, has recovered more than three million stolen artworks and relics from across Italy. The return of the Pompeii mosaic adds to a long list of successful recoveries.
In 2021, six fresco fragments looted from ancient villas in nearby Stabiae were returned after they were traced during a broader investigation into black market antiquities. The pieces had been illegally excavated in the 1970s and sold to collectors in the United States, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.
Pompeii has also seen several modern-day thefts. Some tourists, years later, have mailed back stolen items with letters of apology. A Canadian woman returned fragments in 2020, claiming they brought her years of misfortune and were cursed.
Once buried and forgotten under volcanic ash for centuries, Pompeii remains one of the world’s most visited archaeological sites, still revealing stories of daily life, art, and tragedy from the ancient Roman world.