The Metropolitan Museum in New York has recently returned to our country, the so-called "Treasure of Morgantina", consisting of sixteen silver objects dating from the third century BC Morgantina is an archaeological site on the outskirts of the village of Aidone in the province of Enna. Was based in south-eastern Sicily from the people of Morgeti, who was eventually absorbed by the Greeks, and among the fourth and third centuries BC, fell into the orbit of the powerful city of Syracuse. As evidence of this, the treasure of silver was forged under the rule of the tyrant Hieron II of Syracuse (275-215 BC). His last owner was Eupolemo, whose name is still imprinted on one of the finds. These are objects ", table", as the foot-shaped cups with theatrical masks to mix wine with water, the pitcher and attingitoio, and the other four cups for drinking cup with two handles, and other with votive artifacts and sacred function. Among the finds are the finest flat umbilicate ( phiale mesomphalos ), con cui venivano versati i liquidi durante la celebrazione di sacrifici, il piccolo altare cilindrico ( bomiskos ) decorato con ghirlande e i due contenitori per profumi ed essenze (pissidi) con coperchio decorato.
I sedici argenti (alcuni formati da più pezzi, che portano il totale a ventuno), furono trovati da scavatori clandestini e venduti in due tranche: la prima tra il 1981 e il 1982, la seconda nel 1984. Oggi, finalmente, grazie alle indagini dei Carabinieri del Nucleo per la tutela del patrimonio culturale, i preziosi reperti sono rientrati in Italia e, dopo essere stati esposti sino al 23 maggio al Museo Nazionale Romano, di Roma, saranno trasferiti al Museo Archeologico Regionale “Antonio Salinas "in Palermo.
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