Ancient Statues Removed from Syria's National Museum in Damascus

Museum Facade
The National Museum reopened fully in the first month of this year, a month after the removal of the Assad government.

Valuable artifacts and other artefacts have been stolen from the National Museum of Syria in Damascus, authorities report.

The robbery was discovered on Monday, when employees allegedly found that one of the museum's doors had been damaged from the inside.

The six taken sculptures were made of marble and traced back to the Roman period, one official stated to the news agency.

The nation's antiquities authority said it had opened an investigation to establish the "circumstances surrounding the theft of a number of exhibits", and that actions had been enacted to enhance safeguarding and observation methods.

The chief of domestic security in the Damascus region, Brig-Gen Osama Atkeh, was quoted by the state-run Sana news agency as declaring that authorities were examining the incident, which he said had focused on several "historical artifacts and unique items".

He continued that security personnel at the facility and other persons were being questioned.

The cultural institution, which was created in the early twentieth century, contains the significant historical artifacts in Syria.

It includes ancient inscribed tablets dating back to the ancient era from Ugarit, where evidence of the most ancient linguistic system was found; early centuries CE ancient art from the ancient city, a significant ancient sites of the historical period; and a ancient religious building that was established at an ancient location.

The facility was compelled to shut in the early 2010s, twelve months after the beginning of the destructive conflict. A large portion of the collection was transferred and stored at secure places to safeguard them.

It partially resumed in recent years and completely reopened in early this year, a month after rebel forces overthrew Syria's former leader.

Each of the six of nationally recognized sites were harmed or partly ruined during the internal struggle.

The IS organization demolished numerous religious structures and additional edifices at the ancient city, asserting that they were un-Islamic. International authorities condemned the destruction as a atrocity.

Numerous artefacts were also destroyed or looted from dig sites and museums.

Brittney Juarez
Brittney Juarez

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