The Riace Bronzes, Long a Point of Calabrian Pride, Are Linked to a Sicilian Smuggling Ring

The Riace Bronzes, Long a Point of Calabrian Pride, Are Linked to a Sicilian Smuggling Ring

The Riace bronzes quickly became national treasures after being found off the coast of Calabria in 1972. A new investigation suggests the Riace bronzes, long a point of pride for Calabrians, were not found in the land of Ulysses but, rather, smuggled there By Elena Clavarino On August 16, 1972, in Riace, a quaint town on Calabria’s “Rainbow Coast,” formerly the land of Ulysses, the sea shimmered as sluggish holiday-makers lounged on the beach. I…