How Belgian Father and Son Discovered Stolen Pompeii Artefact in Their Home After 50 Years

Year in, and year out, archaeologists reveal hidden treasures in the earth from ancient years. These artefacts or historical items tend to become precious gems we never imagined seeing in our lifetime.

In a twist of events, A Belgian father and son have unearthed in their home a stolen Pompeii artefact which has been missing for 50 years and hidden away in their basement.

On the account of the father-son duo to Euronews Culture, it is surprising to discover such an artefact under a stairwell the family has used for half a century.

Brought to the house as a mere artefact from Pompeii, the father and son who reside in a small village called Herzele in Belgium only realised its value when they tried to sell the house.

Geert de Temmerman, the son of the owner said “This right here is a souvenir we brought along from Pompeii. It’s from around 62 AD. It shows the earthquake from 62 AD. You can see the entrance gate of Pompeii which is falling over.”

The father contacted the Gallo-Roman Museum in Belgium which authenticated the artefact and confirmed it has been listed as stolen in Italy.

“They came here and started looking at it with a flashlight. I heard them say: yes, it’s authentic. And they almost fell over. It was the thing they were looking for, for the last 50 years,” affirmed the son.

“If it’s authenticated and it’s real, then it will be returned. And we are very glad. It’s a cultural heritage from Pompeii. and it belongs there,”  the Deputy Mayor of Culture for Tongeren assured.

Pompeii is a large archaeological site in Italy. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Italy. The tourist site boasts an estimated 2.5 million visitors annually.