Firemen stumble on ancient Greek relics

Greek firemen fighting a blaze stumbled on a large stash of more than 200 ancient relics hidden by smugglers, the culture ministry said today.

The find was made on Thursday in Locris, central Greece, an area known for illegal archaeological activity, the ministry said.

"Most of the items, of which there are over 200, date from the first half of the fifth century BCE," a statement.

"They were hidden in bushes, wrapped in plastic bags. Some were covered in soot but most were intact." They included clay vessels, a bronze mirror and figures of men, women and animals.

Equipment to clean and repair broken objects was also found nearby, suggesting the area was a smuggler hideout.