I wonder if Indiana Jones ever got in trouble like this....

It would seem that the world of museum curating is not as dull as I thought. A US curator is on trial in Italy for aiding in the smuggling of artifacts illegally smuggled out of Italy, which have since been returned.

Marion True, who quit her post last month, has been charged with handling or receiving the artifacts and will stand trial in Rome on November 19 .

She is the first US antiquities curator to face similar charges in Italy, part of a drive by Italian authorities to fight the plundering of valuable artifacts and art .

The trial is the result of a ten-year probe by Italian investigators .

Prosecutors believe the precious items were taken from Italy to Switzerland, where they were then acquired by True .

They say she was aware the items were looted but that she brought them back to the US regardless, violating international conventions on dealing in stolen art and artifacts .

It's good to see a real crackdown on the trade in illegal artifacts, and that the US cooperating with other governments.