Historic Sculptures Removed from Syria's National Museum Located in Damascus

Historic sculptures and additional items have been taken from the National Museum of Syria in the capital, authorities report.

The burglary was discovered on the start of the week, when employees allegedly found that one of the museum's doors had been broken from the interior.

The six taken pieces were made of marble and dated back to the Roman period, an authority informed the news agency.

The nation's antiquities authority said it had opened an investigation to identify the "circumstances surrounding the loss of a number of items", and that actions had been implemented to enhance safeguarding and surveillance.

The chief of domestic security in Damascus province, General Osama Atkeh, was cited by the official media as stating that security forces were examining the theft, which he said had targeted several "ancient sculptures and rare collectibles".

He noted that security personnel at the museum and additional people were being interviewed.

The National Museum, which was created in the early twentieth century, holds the primary historical artifacts in Syria.

It contains clay cuneiform tablets originating to the ancient era from an ancient city, where proof of the oldest known linguistic system was uncovered; Greco-Roman period ancient art from Palmyra, one of the most important historical locations of the historical period; and a third century Jewish temple that was constructed at another archaeological site.

The institution was had to cease operations in 2012, one year after the beginning of the destructive conflict. Most of the artifacts was evacuated and kept at secure places to ensure their safety.

It partially resumed in recent years and returned to normal in January 2025, four weeks after insurgents overthrew the Assad regime.

Every one of Syria's Unesco World Heritage sites were damaged or significantly impacted during the internal struggle.

The Islamic State group blew up multiple religious structures and historical sites at the archaeological site, asserting that they were idolatrous. International authorities condemned the damage as a atrocity.

Countless historical objects were also damaged or looted from dig sites and cultural institutions.