New York:Syria has successfully recovered 36 looted antiquities from the United States, valued at over $5 million. These include a significant funerary relief from the ancient city of Palmyra and 14 rare mosaics stolen from a Roman villa in Syria.
According to Anadolu Agency, the artifacts were returned during a ceremony held in New York. This event was part of ongoing efforts to combat the illicit trafficking of antiquities and to recover looted cultural property. Notable attendees included Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau, US Special Envoy to Syria and Iraq Tom Barrack, Syria's charge d'affaires in Washington Mohammad Nasser Qanatri, and its UN Ambassador Ibrahim Olabi.
Bragg highlighted the importance of preserving cultural heritage, noting that repatriation ceremonies serve as a powerful reminder of this mission. He described the investigation that led to the recovery of the artifacts as "incredibly complicated" and emphasized the global partnerships that were crucial for the operation's success. Among the seized items were 31 antiquities from the Middle East and North Africa, including the Palmyra relief, which was originally smuggled during a period of systematic looting by ISIS.
The Palmyrene funerary relief, dating to the late second century, is a massive limestone sculpture featuring a reclining man with a woman and three children, initially part of a burial chamber's decor. The artifact was carefully removed to preserve the carved figures.
The collection also features the "Telete and Eros" mosaic, a third-century BC floor piece depicting a mythological wedding scene, made from tesserae. This mosaic was among those seized in July 2021, along with others stolen from Syria and Lebanon.
Additionally, three "Syro-Hittite" figurines from the second millennium BC were retrieved, having appeared on the art market in the late 1980s and 1990s. These were previously owned by art dealer Edward Merrin and later sold to collector Michael Steinhardt, whose collection included 180 antiquities worth $70 million seized by Bragg's office.
Qanatri remarked on the successful recovery, emphasizing the achievement through Syrian-American cooperation. This effort highlights the shared commitment to protecting cultural heritage and building lasting bridges between nations.
Syrian archaeological sites, including the UNESCO World Heritage site Palmyra, have faced looting and destruction amid the civil war. In response, the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 2199 in 2015 to combat illicit trafficking, and the US imposed restrictions in 2016 on importing Syrian cultural materials to prevent further looting and trafficking.