ERBIL () - US authorities have returned 36 stolen antiquities worth more than $5 million to Syria, including a carved limestone sculpture removed from the ancient city of Palmyra before the Islamic State group destroyed much of the UNESCO World Heritage site.
The antiquities were seized from New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art and several private collectors, US officials announced Wednesday.
The returned artifacts include a stone that was trafficked from Palmyra before Islamic State members destroyed much of the ancient city between 2015 and 2017, according to a US authorities’ press release.
The carved limestone sculpture weighs more than 450 kilograms and depicts a reclining male figure surrounded by a woman and three children.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said the repatriation demonstrated the importance of international cooperation in protecting cultural heritage.
“Repatriation ceremonies are a powerful reminder that preserving cultural heritage transcends any border or nationality,” Bragg said.
Mohammad Kanatri, Syria’s charge d’affaires in Washington, welcomed the transfer, saying it showed how cooperation over cultural heritage could strengthen ties between the two countries.
“Through Syrian-American cooperation, a part of Syria’s history is finally returning home thanks to the efforts of the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office,” he said in a statement.
Kanatri added that the transfer demonstrated how “a shared commitment to protecting cultural heritage can build lasting bridges between our two countries.”
Four of the returned antiquities were seized from American collector Michael Steinhardt, who in 2021 returned about 180 items stolen from countries around the world as part of an agreement with the US government. The returned collection was valued at $70 million.
The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office said the 13 items seized from the Metropolitan Museum of Art were among 402 antiquities valued at $98.7 million that its office has taken from the institution since 2017.
The United States has previously returned looted antiquities to several countries, including China, Greece and Italy.
