🔗 Share this article Ancient Sculptures Removed from Syria's National Museum Located in Damascus The Damascus Museum reopened fully in January of this year, four weeks after the removal of President Bashar al-Assad. Valuable statues and cultural objects have been stolen from the National Museum of Syria in Damascus, authorities report. The theft was discovered on the start of the week, when employees reportedly found that an entrance had been forced from the inside. The multiple taken statues were marble creations and originated to the Roman era, an authority informed the Associated Press. Syria's Directorate-General for Antiquities and Museums said it had opened an investigation to determine the "circumstances surrounding the theft of a group of exhibits", and that steps had been implemented to strengthen safeguarding and monitoring systems. The head of internal security in Damascus province, Security Chief Atkeh, was quoted by the official media as stating that law enforcement were probing the robbery, which he said had targeted several "historical artifacts and rare collectibles". He continued that security personnel at the institution and additional people were being interrogated. The cultural institution, which was founded in the early twentieth century, houses the significant historical artifacts in the country. It contains clay cuneiform tablets originating to the ancient era from an ancient city, where proof of the most ancient linguistic system was discovered; 1st and 2nd Century AD ancient art from historical site, a significant cultural centres of the classical era; and a 3rd Century AD religious building that was built at another archaeological site. The facility was compelled to shut in 2012, a year after the start of the devastating civil war. A large portion of the holdings was removed and preserved at undisclosed sites to protect them. It began limited operations in 2018 and returned to normal in January 2025, four weeks after rebel forces deposed President Bashar al-Assad. Each of the six of Syria's Unesco World Heritage sites were harmed or partially destroyed during the internal struggle. The militant faction demolished several religious structures and historical sites at the archaeological site, stating that they were un-Islamic. The cultural organization censured the destruction as a war crime. Countless historical objects were also lost or taken from dig sites and collections.