The Syrian Ministry of Culture announced that 36 ancient artifacts, valued at over $5 million, have been returned to Syria by the US. The artifacts, which date back to various historical periods, were retrieved through efforts to recover relics that were illegally removed from the country and sold on the global art market. The returned artifacts include a large stone inscription from the ancient city of Palmyra, Roman-era mosaics, and other relics.
One of the most significant artifacts returned is a large limestone inscription from Palmyra, which dates back to the late 2nd century AD. The inscription, weighing over 450 kilograms, depicts a funeral scene with a man lying down surrounded by a woman and three children. Investigations revealed that the inscription was carefully removed from a tomb in Palmyra before being smuggled out of Syria through Dubai.
The returned artifacts also include 14 mosaic panels that were removed from a Roman villa in Syria. One of the notable pieces is a mosaic fragment from the 3rd century BC, depicting a wedding scene between Telephus and Eros, two figures from ancient mythology. The mosaics were made from hundreds of small, colored stones known as "tesserae," which were used to create ancient mosaics.
Among the 36 artifacts returned, 13 were seized from the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The US authorities have been investigating the origins of ancient artifacts in the museum's collection. Since 2017, the Manhattan District Attorney's Office has confiscated over 402 artifacts from the museum, valued at approximately $98.7 million.
The returned artifacts also include four pieces from the collection of American art collector Michael Steinhardt. In 2021, the US authorities recovered around 180 artifacts from Steinhardt's collection, valued at around $70 million, as part of an agreement that also prohibited him from acquiring additional ancient artifacts.
Investigations have linked 31 artifacts from the Middle East and North Africa, including some of the returned pieces, to Lebanese art dealer George Latifi. Latifi is facing legal proceedings and has a red Interpol notice issued against him. The investigations highlight the complex process of tracking the origins of ancient artifacts and how they can be smuggled across multiple countries before reaching global markets or private collections.
The return of the Syrian artifacts is part of a larger effort by the Manhattan District Attorney's Office to recover looted relics. The office has recovered over 6,400 artifacts, valued at around $495 million, and returned over 6,200 pieces to 40 countries.
Key points
- The US returned 36 ancient Syrian artifacts valued at over $5 million to Syria.
- The artifacts include a large stone inscription from Palmyra and Roman-era mosaics.
- The return is part of a larger effort to recover looted relics, with over 6,400 artifacts recovered and 6,200 returned to 40 countries.
