Roman tombstone, 19 centuries old and weighing half a ton, retrieved after it was stolen in Vinca

Photo: narodnimuzej.rs

The police have found a 19-century-old Roman tombstone weighing half a ton that was discovered in Vinca, near Belgrade, only to get stolen just 24 hours afterwards.

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The tombstone was stolen on Saturday, before archaeologists managed to arrive and perform all the necessary analyses.

Archaeologists have not been able to determine whether the person to whom the tombstone was dedicated was a member of the upper class, a military leader, or perhaps a Roman emperor. The preserved foot and the Latin inscription in 15 lines were created as many as 19 centuries ago, which is why this tombstone is invaluable.

This very important Roman epigraphic tombstone (a stone tombstone with engraved text in Latin), which is a unique historical source, is a good that enjoys protection and is the property of the Republic of Serbia, disappeared without a trace from the site where it had been found.

The value is also emphasized by the fact that the tombstone was found in its original place, in the area of ancient Singidunum. This makes it an exceptional historical and cultural document, which testifies to the length of time Belgrade has existed as a city, and how important it was as a military center.

"The theft of the Roman tombstone, which followed only a day after its accidental discovery along the road near the Vinca landfill, alarmed professional and general public. The fact that the theft occurred immediately after it was documented by experts from the National Museum, and before the takeover and transport from the site, means we are witnesses of actions of unfortunately well-organized criminal activities aimed at stealing archaeological finds," a source from the National Museum Of Serbia told Telegraf.rs at the time.

They stressed that this was about very well-organized crime.

"With this, we want to point out the prevalence of crimes of a similar type, caused by illegal digging and illegal export of archaeological materials. It is important to recall that artifacts found in the ground or in the water in the territory of Serbia belong to the Republic of Serbia.

The National Museum; Photo: Nikola Tomic

Our country is rich in traces of numerous cultures that have inhabited this area for centuries and for millennia. It is on the basis of these that we gain knowledge about life and the past in our area, and that is their greatest significance," they added.

"Most ancient tombstones came to our museums as accidental discoveries of citizens. For decades, Serbians have been handing over accidental excavations to cultural institutions thus becoming guardians of national history themselves. However, this is unfortunately happening less and less often and artefacts are increasingly going to foreign collections and museums via illegal routes."

Since these archeological objects were found in the territory of the Republic of Serbia, they belong to it by law, so any sale is a criminal offense. In the case of this Roman tombstone, its disappearance was qualified as aggravated theft.

(Telegraf.rs)