A 4th century BC sculpted fragment of the ancient goddess Athena, removed from Greece in the late 19th century, was returned yesterday by a Danish historian.

The fragment, depicting the torso of the goddess Athena, was taken to Denmark in 1897 by the Danish war correspondent Alexander Svenstrup, who gave it to the family of historian Paul Hartvigson, Culture Minister Giorgos Voulgarakis told a presentation ceremony in Athens.

“My uncle Carsten Dahl inherited this 30 years ago and... wanted to return it before he died,” Hartvigson told Agence France-Presse. “It’s been in our family for 97 years... it was time it came back,” said Hartvigson, who came to Athens instead of Dahl, whose health is poor.

Voulgarakis highlighted the “tremendous symbolic significance” of Dahl’s gesture, adding that it vindicates Greece’s efforts to reclaim missing artifacts.