Officials confirmed on Tuesday that thieves broke into the national museum in the Syrian capital. Several ancient statues, believed to date back to the Roman era, were stolen from the institution.
The National Museum of Damascus was temporarily closed. The discovery of the theft occurred early Monday morning.
Details of the Heist
The museum, located in central Damascus, holds Syria’s largest collection of invaluable artifacts. Security measures had been increased after the start of the 14-year civil war. These measures included metal gates and surveillance cameras.
An official from the national antiquities department disclosed that six marble statues were stolen. An investigation is currently ongoing. Another official indicated the theft occurred Sunday night.
It was discovered early Monday when a door in the classical department was found forced open. Several statues from the Roman period were clearly missing.
Both officials requested anonymity. This was because the government has not yet issued a formal public statement on the matter. Security guards at the museum confirmed its closure to a journalist on Tuesday morning. They refused to answer questions about the theft.
Historic Significance and Context
The section of the museum where the artifacts were reported missing is vital. It is renowned for its historical richness. Maamoun Abdulkarim, the former head of the antiquities and museums department, described the area. He stated it contained artifacts dating back to the Hellenistic, Roman, and Byzantine periods.
The museum had only reopened in January of the previous year. This happened a month after rebel forces ousted President Bashar Assad. The ousting ended the Assad family’s 54-year rule. The museum initially closed after the swift offensive due to fears of looting.
After the Syrian conflict began in March 2011, authorities moved hundreds of priceless artifacts to Damascus for safekeeping. These included treasures from the historic central town of Palmyra.
In 2015, members of the Islamic State group destroyed mausoleums in the city’s UNESCO World Heritage site. Palmyra is famous for its 2,000-year-old Roman ruins.
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