Italy Recognizes Digital Discoveries in Cultural Property Law

The reward provided by the Italian Cultural Heritage Code for those who discover a valuable artifact also applies to individuals who, without having physical contact with the object, enable its recovery through digital channels, CE Report quotes ANSA.

This precedent-setting ruling was issued by the Administrative Justice Council for the Sicilian Region, authored by Judge Sebastiano Di Betta and presided over by Ermanno De Francisco.

The judges’ decision opens new horizons for protecting cultural heritage in the era of online discoveries, recognizing the civic contribution of "digital citizens."

The case involved Giuseppe Rosario Biondi, an engineer and president of the Enna chapter of the cultural association SiciliAntica. In 2009, he noticed on eBay the sale of a "Centuripe lekanis"—a vase dating back to the 2nd century BC that had been illegally taken out of Italy. He reported the find to the Carabinieri for Cultural Heritage Protection in Palermo, providing images and auction links.

An international legal process was initiated, and in 2012 the lekanis was returned to Italy and added to the state’s cultural heritage. It was later assigned to the Regional Archaeological Museum of Centuripe.

In 2017, Biondi requested the finder’s reward as provided for under the Cultural Heritage Code.

However, the Sicilian Regional Department of Cultural Heritage denied the request, arguing that there had been no “material discovery,” that the report was delayed, and that the recovery occurred outside national territory.