Hungary acquires another seven pieces of Seuso Treasure

The Hungarian government has acquired another seven pieces of the Seuso Treasure, a rare collection of ancient Roman silverware, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán announced on Wednesday.

The government believes the “priceless national treasure, Hungary’s family silver,” has its place in Hungary, Orbán told reporters during a break of a cabinet meeting.

“We have fulfilled our duty and reclaimed the collection,” Orbán said, presenting the seven pieces to the press in Parliament.

In March 2014, Hungary bought the first seven pieces of 4th century Seuso silver, trays and jugs believed to have been a part of the tableware from a villa in the Balaton area of the Roman Empire, after a lengthy international dispute over its ownership. The treasure had been smuggled out of the country and ended up in Britain. The government recovered the first seven pieces at a cost of 15 million euros.

The head of the Hungarian Museum of Fine Arts, László Baán, told reporters that the Hungarian government had striven to reclaim the treasures ever since 1990. This has been achieved in two steps, he noted. The second tranche is more valuable from an art-historical point of view, he added.