Stolen Treasures: Ancient Statues Vanish from Syria's National Museum

Wed Nov 12 2025 19:16:44 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

The National Museum in Damascus has reported the theft of valuable Roman-era statues, prompting an investigation by local authorities to recover the stolen artefacts amidst concerns over cultural preservation.

Ancient marble statues and artefacts have been stolen from Syria's National Museum, sparking an investigation into the circumstances of the theft. The six missing statues, dating back to the Roman era, were discovered missing after museum staff found a door broken from the inside. Security measures are being reviewed as authorities conduct interviews with guards and other individuals.

Ancient statues and other artefacts have been stolen from Syria's National Museum in Damascus, officials say.

The theft was discovered on Monday, when staff reportedly found that one of the museum's doors had been broken from the inside.

The six missing statues were made of marble and dated back to the Roman era, one official told the Associated Press.

Syria's Directorate-General for Antiquities and Museums stated that it had opened an investigation to determine the circumstances surrounding the loss of a number of exhibits, and measures had been taken to strengthen protection and monitoring systems.

The head of internal security in Damascus province, Brig-Gen Osama Atkeh, was cited by the state-run Sana news agency as saying that security forces were investigating the theft, which targeted several archaeological statues and rare collectibles. He added that guards at the museum and other individuals were being questioned.

The National Museum, established in 1919, contains the most significant archaeological collection in Syria, including clay cuneiform tablets from Ugarit and Greco-Roman sculptures from Palmyra, an ancient cultural center.

Closed since 2012 due to the civil war, most of the museum's collection was relocated to secret locations for protection. The museum partially reopened in 2018 and resumed full operations in January 2025, following significant political changes.

According to reports, the six missing statues form part of a larger loss from Syrian cultural heritage, particularly during the civil war, which saw damage to all six UNESCO World Heritage sites in the country.

Many artefacts were also destroyed or looted by various factions, including the Islamic State group, which targeted historical sites, labeling them as idolatrous.