Several pieces of Italian art might have said "arrivederci Roma" under illegal pretenses.

In early April, four University Art Museum representatives will meet with Italian authorities to discuss four Italian artifacts in the possession of the Univeristy that might have been acquired illegally.

Though the number of artifacts in question is relatively small, the investigation reflects a growing trend nationwide. Earlier this month, the Peruvian government announced plans to sue Yale for possession of thousands of artifacts from Machu Picchu. And in February, the Metropolitan Museum of Art returned 21 of its antiquities to Italy, settling a decades-long dispute.

Italian authorities have been in discussion with the University since December 2004 regarding the artifacts, which include two Greek vases dating from 510 and 330 BCE, a Roman silver cup and a fragment of a black Etruscan plaque.

The Italians have not yet provided information on the origin of their concerns or evidence that the acquisitions were illegal, University spokeswoman Cass Cliatt '96 said.

"A search of the museum records finds no indication that there was anything improper in the acquisition," Cliatt said, noting that the University follows acquisition guidelines from the American Association of Museum Directors.

This isn't the first time, however, that the University art museum has heard from Italian authorities.

In September 2002, the University returned a portion of a second century marble funerary monument. The Daily Princetonian reported then that the curator, Michael Padgett, discovered the indiscretion and reported the "dubious exportation" to the Italian authorities. The University returned the piece, which it had purchased from a New York art dealer in 1985.

"We have a history of cooperating with the [Italian] authorities," Cliatt said.

By Italian law, artifacts found at an archeological site in the country belong to the state and cannot leave the country except on loan.

"We returned an item in the past that had not been obtained appropriately, and if we discover something similar with these items, we would return the items or explore the possibility of some kind of loan," said Robert Durkee '69, Vice President and Secretary of the University.

The Greek vases — a mushroom-shaped 12-inch psykter and a 22-inch Apulian loutrophoros, both used for ancient ceremonies— are the two artifacts under the most suspicion, Cliatt said.

Susan Taylor, director of the University Art Museum, could not be reached for comment on the details of the four artifacts' acquisition, but Cliatt said she will be attending the April meeting in Rome.

All four artifacts are on exhibit at the museum. Cliatt said in an email that the psykter is currently off-view because it is about to be used in a class but will return to display in a few of weeks.