🔗 Share this article

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

The burglary was found on the start of the week, when museum workers apparently found that one of the museum's doors had been damaged from the inside.

The half-dozen taken sculptures were crafted from marble and dated back to the Roman period, an authority told the Associated Press.

Syria's Directorate-General for Antiquities and Museums said it had opened an investigation to determine the "details surrounding the theft of a group of artifacts", and that measures had been enacted to improve security and surveillance.

The director of national security in the Damascus region, General Osama Atkeh, was quoted by the government press as declaring that law enforcement were probing the incident, which he said had targeted several "archaeological statues and unique items".

He noted that security personnel at the museum and other individuals were being interrogated.

The National Museum, which was established in 1919, holds the most important archaeological collection in the country.

It includes ancient inscribed tablets dating back to the Bronze Age from historical site, where evidence of the oldest known complete alphabet was discovered; 1st and 2nd Century AD classical statues from Palmyra, among the foremost historical locations of the classical era; and a 3rd Century AD synagogue that was built at an ancient location.

The institution 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 preserved at secure places to ensure their safety.

It reopened partially in recent years and resumed full operations in January 2025, a month after insurgents deposed Syria's former leader.

All six of the country's cultural landmarks were damaged or significantly impacted during the civil war.

The IS organization blew up multiple temples and other structures at the ancient city, claiming that they were un-Islamic. The cultural organization denounced the demolition as a war crime.

Many historical objects were also lost or stolen from dig sites and collections.