Barcelona, Spain - November 27, 2024 A 12th-century Romanesque relief, missing for decades, was rescued by the Guardia Civil just as it was about to be auctioned in Barcelona. The artwork, which depicts the ‘Adoration of the Kings’, had been stolen from the Ermita de San Pedro de Tejada in Burgos after the church was declared a National Historical Monument in 1935. The piece, carved in stone, was located in an antique auction house where it was being sold under the guise of a relic from a private collection. However, investigators, using historical documents from archives including the Ministry of Culture and the Junta of Castilla y León, confirmed it was the missing relief. After confirming its authenticity, the court ordered the piece’s return to Burgos, where it was securely transported and studied. The relief will now undergo further examination at the Museum of Burgos. This dramatic recovery marks a significant triumph for historical preservation efforts, safeguarding a priceless cultural treasure that had been lost for decades.