( CNN ) -- Two U.S. tourists unknowingly bought six human skulls in Greece , which they learned when they were stopped at the airport in Athens . The Americans carried the skulls in their hand luggage , which was scanned during a layover on their way back to the United States from the island of Mykonos . The pair were arrested Thursday , accused of desecrating the dead . A coroner later confirmed that the skulls were human , police said . `` The two young tourists said they had bought the skulls in a souvenir shop on the island of Mykonos and believed they were fake , '' a police spokesperson said . `` They bought them ahead of Halloween to decorate their homes . Both tourists were then released and took a flight back to the U.S. '' There was no immediate word on where the skulls originated .
The Americans were stopped during a layover in Athens . The skulls were discovered when their luggage was scanned . Comment: