Hermes Head Rediscovered in Naples Museum Storage After 45 Years

The marble head of a Hermes statue, originally from Baia, was stolen on June 8–9, 1978, and later recovered on May 8, 1979. This piece, part of a statue unearthed at the Villa della Sosandra, was separated by archaeologist Amedeo Maiuri. A letter from Germany verified its presence at the Glyptothek in Munich, leading to its return to Superintendent Fausto Zevi on July 11, 1979. However, due to ongoing legal issues and MANN's extensive collection of 270,000 artifacts, it was overlooked for years. Recently, archaeologists rediscovered it in its original box, and it has now been sent back to Baia. This incident highlights the persistent underfunding of MANN, a situation that Minister Gennaro Sangiuliano intends to rectify.