(ANSA) - Salerno, November 24 - A priceless vase dating back to the 4th century BC has arrived home after more than three decades abroad and four years touring Italy. The 2,300-year-old drinking vessel was officially handed over to authorities at the site of the Ancient Greek colony of Paestum, where it will go on permanent display at the National Archaeological Museum there. The extraordinary black-glazed vase is decorated with red figures telling the story of the Rape of Europa and was painted by Asteas, a fourth-century BC artist who lived in Paestum, near Naples.

The 70-centimetre-high krater, a chalice used to mix wine and water, was returned to Italy in 2005 by the Paul J. Getty Museum in Malibu, California. It was one of the most important pieces returned under an agreement on contested antiquities between the Italian government and the Getty. Under the accord, the American institute promised to hand over around 80 art treasures that Italian police claimed had been looted from Italian sites or smuggled out of the country in recent decades. The accord with the Californian museum resolved a long and bitter dispute over the antiquities. Under the deal, Italy and the Getty agreed to bolster their cultural relations through the loaning of important art works, joint exhibitions, research and conservation projects.

The Asteas krater was uncovered near Naples in 1970 and was almost immediately snatched by a looter, who sold the item on the black market for a million lire. It was bought by a private Swiss collector in 1978 and acquired by the Getty Museum three years later, becoming one of the Californian museum's signature pieces. The krater arrived back in Italy in November 2005 and has been one of the star exhibits in several travelling shows since then. The deal with the Getty is one of several agreements between Italy and major US institutions, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the Boston Museum of Fine Arts and Princeton University, Italy is now seeking similar accords with institutes in Cleveland, Denmark and Japan.