🔗 Share this article Historic Statues Stolen from the National Museum in Damascus The National Museum reopened fully in January of this year, four weeks after the deposition of President Bashar al-Assad. Valuable artifacts and cultural objects have been removed from Syria's National Museum in the capital, authorities report. The robbery was noticed on Monday, when employees apparently found that a doorway had been forced from the interior. The multiple taken sculptures were made of marble and traced back to the Roman period, an authority told the media outlet. Syria's Directorate-General for Antiquities and Museums said it had initiated an inquiry to determine the "circumstances surrounding the loss of a group of artifacts", and that measures had been taken to improve safeguarding and monitoring systems. The head of national security in Damascus province, General Osama Atkeh, was cited by the state-run Sana news agency as declaring that security forces were examining the incident, which he said had targeted several "archaeological statues and valuable objects". He added that guards at the facility and other individuals were being interviewed. The cultural institution, which was founded in the early twentieth century, contains the most important archaeological collection in Syria. It includes ancient inscribed tablets originating to the 14th Century BC from an ancient city, where evidence of the most ancient linguistic system was discovered; Greco-Roman period ancient art from historical site, one of the most important cultural centres of the ancient world; and a 3rd Century AD synagogue that was built at an ancient location. The facility was had to cease operations in the early 2010s, one year after the outbreak of the destructive conflict. The majority of the artifacts was removed and preserved at secret locations to protect them. It began limited operations in 2018 and returned to normal in January 2025, four weeks after rebel forces overthrew President Bashar al-Assad. Every one of the country's cultural landmarks were harmed or partially destroyed during the internal struggle. The militant faction demolished multiple ancient buildings and historical sites at the archaeological site, claiming that they were idolatrous. International authorities denounced the destruction as a violation. Many historical objects were also destroyed or stolen from historical locations and museums.