Türkiye brings back 8,967 stolen artifacts, reclaims lost Roman, Ottoman treasures

Türkiye has successfully recovered thousands of historical artifacts that were smuggled abroad over the past decades.

According to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, 13,282 artifacts have been repatriated since 2002, with 8,967 of these returned in the past 7 years.

The efforts are part of a broader initiative led by the General Directorate of Cultural Heritage and Museums to combat the trafficking of cultural property.

Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy emphasized the government’s commitment to preserving Türkiye’s cultural heritage.

“Since 2018, we have brought back approximately 8,967 artifacts to their rightful home. We will continue to track down every stolen piece of our cultural history,” he said.

Important artifacts recovered, returned to Türkiye after legal efforts

Among the returned items are significant historical pieces from various countries, including:

• Gypsy Girl mosaics (United States): Retrieved from Bowling Green State University and now displayed at the Gaziantep Zeugma Mosaic Museum.
• Kiliya-type idol (United States): A 6,000-year-old figurine from the Shelby White Collection, considered an influence on modern art.
• Bronze bust of a woman (United States): A second-century artifact originating from Boubon.
• Statue of Roman Emperor Lucius Verus (United States): A rare bronze statue illegally removed from Boubon and recovered through a Manhattan District Attorney’s investigation.
• 16th-century Quran manuscript (United Kingdom): Copied by Mustafa Dede, son of Ottoman calligrapher and master Sheikh Hamdullah.
• Eros Head (United Kingdom): A missing piece of the Sidamara Sarcophagus, was repatriated following negotiations with the Victoria & Albert Museum.
• Adana Ulu Mosque tile (United Kingdom): An Ottoman-era tile retrieved after it was identified in Bonhams Auction House.
• Sile Bozgoca Mosque Inscription (Netherlands): An Ottoman-period stone inscription now housed in the Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum in Istanbul.
• Zeugma-origin Roman-era stele (Italy): A second-century funerary stele inscribed in Ancient Greek, recovered with assistance from Italian authorities.
• Kybele votive statue (United States): A sacred artifact symbolizing fertility, smuggled abroad in the 1960s and repatriated after legal action.

Türkiye’s fight against cultural smuggling, efforts to reclaim stolen artifacts

Türkiye has strengthened its efforts to reclaim looted artifacts by working with law enforcement agencies, museums, and auction houses worldwide.

Legal and diplomatic negotiations play a key role in these efforts, as seen in the case of the Eros Head, which was recovered through negotiations with the Victoria & Albert Museum in London.

The Ministry of Culture and Tourism continues to pursue stolen cultural property, emphasizing the importance of preserving Türkiye’s heritage. Minister Ersoy reiterated the country’s determination to recover all looted artifacts, stating, “We will not stop until every stolen piece of our history is brought back to its rightful place.”