US returns $8 mln of stolen treasures to Türkiye

NEW YORK

United States authorities have returned $8 million of stolen antiquities, some of which were plundered as far back as the 1960s to Türkiye, a prosecutor said on Dec. 5.

Among the 41 pieces returned were two Heads of the Roman emperor Caracalla and the Bust of a Lady which were trafficked from Bubon, a Roman-era site in southwest Türkiye which was extensively looted in the 1960s.

"During my administration we have returned 90 antiquities to Türkiye, valued at more than $60 million," said Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, announcing the returns.

The pieces were returned at a ceremony attended by Türkiye's Deputy Culture Minister Gökhan Yazgı.

"Together I believe we can put an end to the blows dealt to the identity and history of nations," he said.

In his social media posts after the ceremony, Turkish Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Ersoy said, “We are proud. We received another group of works, which were illegally taken from the country, at the Turkish House in New York. As a result of our efforts with the Manhattan District Attorney's Office and the Homeland Security Investigations Unit, a total of 41 more cultural assets, including bronze heads, busts and silver statuettes, are returning home. The number of works we returned on the 100th anniversary of our republic reached 3,059. Our work continues to protect the heritage of these lands."

Three bronze statue heads, a bronze female bust and body parts of four bronze statues originating from the ancient city of Bubon, located in the İbecik village of Gölhisar district of Burdur province, are among the important works of Roman era sculpture in Anatolia.

The heads, one of a younger Caracalla that had been at the Fordham Museum of Art and one of an older Caracalla that had been at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, were seized by U.S. authorities on the same day in March 2023. They have particular importance as they belong to the statues in the sacred area (Sebasteion) where the statues of the emperors were erected. Lucius Verus and Septimius Severus, two bronze statues belonging to the Sebasteion structure, were also returned to Türkiye in 2022 and 2023.

The Bust of a Lady dates back to around 160-180 A.D. and was taken from Bubon before being taken to Switzerland by the late American antiquities dealer Robert Hecht, Bragg's office said. He sold it to the Worcester Art Museum, where it remained on display until it was seized in June 2023.

Among the other works of sculpture returned from the U.S. are two bronze helmets of the Phrygian type. The helmets, derived from the distinctive leather hats worn by the Thracians and Phrygians and especially those by the members of the infantry, date back to the fourth century B.C.

There are also 22 Kilia type idol heads among the returned works. The artifacts are expected to arrive in Türkiye at the end of December.

Since its creation, Manhattan's Art Trafficking Unit has recovered more than 4,700 antiquities valued at more than $400 million, and returned more than 4,000 of them to 25 countries.