164 Archaeological Objects Rediscovered in the Uffizi Storerooms, Confiscated After WWII

Rediscovery in the Uffizi storerooms: 164 archaeological items

Inventory checks carried out in the Gallerie degli Uffizi storerooms during the 2020 pandemic revealed a previously unlisted archaeological group totaling 164 objects. The assemblage includes statuettes, small vessels, clay oil lamps and small bronzes, spanning from the late Egyptian dynastic period to the early Christian era.

Composition and purpose of the finds

• 111 terracotta items, mostly figurines;
• 7 small vessels;
• 38 clay oil lamps;
• 8 small Egyptian-style bronzes.

Many figurines retain traces of polychromy and depict deities and votive figures such as Aphrodite, Nike, Athena, Isis and Serapis. Experts consider these objects primarily votive or funerary in function, used as offerings or grave goods.

Provenance and conservation history

Archival research has connected the group to German physician Max Reich, who lived in Italy during the war years. After his death the collection appears to have been confiscated in 1947 by the Office for Recovered Works led by Rodolfo Siviero and partly moved to Rome. Some pieces were later shown in national exhibitions of recovered works in 1950 and 1952.

A 1949 inventory listed over 300 items: the 164 objects now at the Uffizi match those recorded in the exhibitions, while a portion of the original collection remains unaccounted for.

Ongoing inquiries and next steps

Historical and conservation investigations are ongoing, with checks carried out in collaboration with the Carabinieri Nucleus for the Protection of Cultural Heritage. Planned work includes detailed cataloguing, material and pigment analyses, and further archival research to trace the collection's history and movements.

Implications for the public and researchers

• Currently the finds are in storage: any public display will depend on research outcomes and institutional decisions.
• The rediscovery renews interest in post-war movements of cultural property and in the study of ceramic production linked to the Alexandria region.
• For announcements about exhibitions or special access, follow official updates from the Gallerie degli Uffizi.

Author: Firenze Web Division