Several ancient statues from the Roman era were taken during a burglary at the national museum in Syria’s capital, officials announced on Tuesday. The National Museum of Damascus shut down temporarily once the theft was discovered early on Monday. This museum, the largest in the country, contains priceless artifacts from Syria’s extensive history. Following the outbreak of war, security measures were increased with the installation of metal gates and surveillance cameras.
According to an official from Syria’s Directorate-General of Antiquities and Museums, six marble statues were stolen, and an investigation is currently underway. The theft occurred on Sunday night and was detected early on Monday when a broken door in the classical department revealed that several Roman-era statues were missing. The exact number of stolen pieces was not disclosed by the officials, who spoke anonymously in accordance with regulations.
Subsequently, the police chief in Damascus, Brig.-Gen. Osama Atkeh, stated that numerous statues and rare artifacts were taken from the museum. The guards and several other individuals are being interrogated in connection with the incident. An AP journalist attempting to enter the museum was informed by guards that photography was prohibited.
The Directorate-General of Antiquities and Museums later released a statement confirming that an investigation had been initiated and immediate measures were taken to ensure the security of the remaining antiquities. The section of the museum where the theft took place is described as “a beautiful and historically rich department, with artifacts dating back to the Hellenistic, Roman, and Byzantine periods,” according to Maamoun Abdulkarim, the former head of the government’s Antiquities and Museums Department.
The museum had 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 its doors after the rapid shift in power that ended five decades of Assad family rule. In response to the conflict that began in 2011, authorities had relocated numerous invaluable artifacts to Damascus from various regions, including Palmyra, which had been under ISIS control. In 2015, ISIS militants destroyed mausoleums in Palmyra’s UNESCO World Heritage site, known for its ancient Roman colonnades, ruins, and precious artifacts.