The archaeological museum of Ancient Corinth welcomed two ancient ‘Kouros’ statues to its collection during a special ceremony this week.

The two statues, named the ‘Kouri [plural] of Tenea’ were unearthed by antiquities smugglers during an illegal excavation in the Klenies district of southern Corinth prefecture. After the police arrested the smugglers in May 2010, the statues were sent to the National Archaeological Museum in Athens for restoration. According to police, the smugglers had demanded 10 million euros for the statues.

The ‘Kouros’ statues, eponymous Archaic-period marbles figures depicting young teen and young adult males, were returned to the archaeological museum of Ancient Corinth, during a special ceremony and are on display in a specially designed exhibition hall at the museum. Greek Culture Minister Pavlos Geroulanos represented the government.

Source: Athens News