Bitter blow to Pompeii after relic stolen

Italian authorities are investigating the theft of a valuable ornament from the ruins of Pompeii that dates to the sixth century BC. The bronze ornament called the 6th Century stud, on loan from an archeological museum, formed part of a display entitled Pompeii and the Greeks at the World Heritage Site. Site manager Massimo Osanna said the artifact was not a piece of “extreme monetary value,” but it was a bitter blow nonetheless. The theft of “holiday souvenirs,” often to sell for a profit, is a growing problem at Italy’s cultural attractions, with guards at Pompeii nabbing visitors over the years trying to smuggle out relics, including pieces of statues and mosaic tiles.