Portofino, Italy may or may not be home to an ancient Greek ship. What is known is that it is home to ancient Greek wine.

Portofino, Italy one of the most beautiful and wealthy towns on the Ligurian coast of Italy is thought to be home to the wreckage of at least one ancient Greek ship. Ligurian Heritage chief Giampiero Martino told reporters that seven amphorae have been found in Portofino in recent years.

Amphorae are ceramic vases with two handles and a long neck narrower than the body. Amphorae were used to store wine among other things. The latest Amphora found in Portofino was located by an unmanned exploration capsule in the actual port of Portofino.

Is there a Leonardo Da Vinci painting hiding behind a wall in Florence, Italy's town hall? One of the art world's great mysteries may soon be solved.

Italy's culture minister, Francesco Rutelli, has given his approval to look at what lies behind an existing painting at the Palazzo Vecchio. After a meeting with the mayor of Florence, Rutelli said "We've decided to give the go-ahead to explore the Salone del Cinquecento to look for the Battle of Anghiari."

Researchers believe an unfinished mural by Leonardo Da Vinci titled the "Battle of Anghiari" may be hidden in the cavity of a wall concealed by another mural. Art researcher, Maurizio Seracini, first noticed the cryptic message "Cerca, Trova" which translates to "seek and you shall find" in one of the frescoes decorating a wall in the Palazzo Vecchio almost 30 years ago.

Italy is planning to ask the United Nations for a global ban on the death penalty.  As reported by David Willey of the BBC, Prime Minister Romano Prodi has said that no crime can justify one person killing another.

The views of the Italian Prime Minister are in response to the widely circulated cell phone pictures of the execution of former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.

This week Italy took one of the 10 non-permanent Security Council seats at the United Nations. The Italian UN ambassador has asked the UN General Assembly to review a document that was presented for debate last month.

The Italian position against the death penalty is not new.  Italy presented proposals at the UN assembly to ban the death penalty in both 1994 and 1995.