"Indiana Jones of the Art World" recovers a stolen mosaic dating back 1600 years


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TThe mosaic was part of a series removed from Panayia Kanakaria Church, about 105 kilometers northeast of Nicosia, plundered in the 1970s during the Turkish invasion.

"The mosaics of Kanakaria are of considerable importance in Christian art and world culture," said Maria Paphiti, former director of the British Christie's Department.

The family agreed to return it "to the Cypriot people" for a small fee to cover the costs of restoration and storage, he added.

A week ago, Mr. Brand – who worked with the Church of Cyprus – returned to Monaco to recover the treasure.

"It was one of the greatest moments of my life," said the detective.

In 2015, Brand made the headlines after finding two huge bronze statues made by the Nazi sculptor Joseph Thorak, called "The Hitlerian Horses".

A year later, he helped recover five stolen masterpieces from a criminal group in Ukraine.

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