Türkiye repatriates 301 artifacts over past decade

ANKARA

Türkiye has returned 301 smuggled historical artifacts to their countries of origin over the past decade, with Egypt receiving the largest share.

Aligning with Türkiye’s commitment under UNESCO conventions to return cultural heritage to its rightful owners, the nation’s other repatriations include 87 artifacts to Iraq, 55 to Iran, two to China and one to Kazakhstan.

Concerning the repatriation process, any legal proceedings in Türkiye regarding the artifacts must first be resolved.

Once completed, the General Directorate for Cultural Heritage and Museums, under the Culture and Tourism Ministry, will lead the efforts through its department dedicated to combating smuggling and will work with relevant nations to facilitate the return of artifacts.

As the nation continues its efforts to ensure that artifacts belonging to other nations are sent back home, it also simultaneously strives to reclaim cultural heritage illicitly taken from its own land.

Within this scope, experts meticulously monitor global museums, galleries, auction houses and other sales channels to identify artifacts that have been unlawfully removed.

Since 2018 alone, these diligent investigations have led to the repatriation of 8,967 artifacts to the nation. Moreover, in total, the number of returned artifacts has reached around 13,282 since 2002.

Among the anticipated returns this year is a bronze statue of Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius, currently housed at the Cleveland Museum of Art in Ohio, U.S. Investigations have revealed that the statue was illegally removed from the ancient city of Boubon in Türkiye’s southwestern Burdur province during the 1960s.

One of the most significant recoveries in recent years was a bronze statue of Roman Emperor Lucius Verus, identified in the possession of a private collector in the U.S. Again originally from Boubon, this statue holds special historical value, as most ancient bronze sculptures were melted down over time for reuse in other materials, making intact examples exceptional.

Türkiye’s repatriation efforts are conducted through a coordinated approach involving the Culture Ministry, through the instruments of foreign, justice and interior ministries.

The preferred method is negotiation and dialogue with museums, collectors and institutions. However, when such efforts fail, officials follow diplomatic and legal initiatives to reclaim stolen cultural assets.

Last year alone, the country successfully brought back 45 historical artifacts from abroad, reaffirming its commitment to preserving its rich heritage.