Several ancient statues from the Roman era were stolen in a burglary at the national museum in Syria’s capital, as confirmed by officials on Tuesday. The theft was discovered early Monday, leading to the temporary closure of the National Museum of Damascus. The museum had recently reopened in January following the end of a 14-year civil war and the downfall of the 54-year Assad family reign.
The museum, which is the largest in the country, holds priceless antiquities reflecting Syria’s extensive history. Security measures had been enhanced with metal gates and surveillance cameras since the onset of the war. According to an official from Syria’s Directorate-General of Antiquities and Museums, an investigation is currently underway after six marble statues were reported stolen.
The theft was believed to have taken place on Sunday night and was noticed early Monday when a broken door was discovered in the classical department, where multiple Roman-era statues were found missing. The exact number of stolen statues was not disclosed by the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity due to governmental regulations.
Subsequently, the police chief in Damascus, Brig.-Gen. Osama Atkeh, informed the state news agency SANA that several statues and rare artifacts were taken from the museum. Security guards and other individuals present at the time of the incident are being interrogated. Visitors were restricted from taking photographs when an Associated Press journalist attempted to enter the museum on Tuesday.
The Directorate-General of Antiquities and Museums released a statement later in the day, announcing the launch of an investigation and immediate steps to safeguard the museum’s antiquities. While the statement did not specify the stolen items, it mentioned that “some exhibits” were missing. The area within the museum where the theft occurred is described as a historically significant department with artifacts dating back to the Hellenistic, Roman, and Byzantine periods.
The museum had previously reopened on January 8, following the ousting of President Bashar al-Assad by rebels, marking a new chapter for the country. Concerned about potential looting, the museum had closed during the rapid transition that marked the end of five decades of Assad family rule. Amid the conflict in Syria that began in 2011, authorities had relocated numerous invaluable artifacts to Damascus from various regions, including the ancient town of Palmyra, previously under ISIS control.
In 2015, ISIS militants destroyed mausoleums within Palmyra’s UNESCO World Heritage site, known for its ancient Roman architecture, ruins, and irreplaceable artifacts.
