🔗 Share this article Valuable Statues Taken from Syria's National Museum Located in Damascus The Damascus Museum reopened fully in the first month of 2025, one month after the deposition of Syria's former leader. Ancient statues and other artefacts have been stolen from Syria's National Museum in the capital, authorities report. The robbery was discovered on the start of the week, when museum workers reportedly found that one of the museum's doors had been forced from the interior. The half-dozen taken statues were crafted from marble and traced back to the Roman era, a source told the news agency. The nation's antiquities authority said it had opened an investigation to identify the "events surrounding the disappearance of a number of exhibits", and that steps had been enacted to improve safeguarding and surveillance. The director of domestic security in Damascus province, Security Chief Atkeh, was referenced by the state-run Sana news agency as stating that security forces were investigating the incident, which he said had targeted several "ancient sculptures and rare collectibles". He noted that security personnel at the institution and other persons were being interrogated. The cultural institution, which was founded in the early twentieth century, contains the significant historical artifacts in the country. It includes historical records tracing back to the ancient era from Ugarit, where indications of the oldest known complete alphabet was found; early centuries CE classical statues from Palmyra, a significant cultural centres of the historical period; and a 3rd Century AD Jewish temple that was built at another archaeological site. The museum was compelled to shut in 2012, one year after the outbreak of the internal strife. Most of the artifacts was evacuated and preserved at secret locations to safeguard them. It partially resumed in recent years and returned to normal in early this year, one month after rebel forces deposed President Bashar al-Assad. Each of the six of nationally recognized sites were affected or significantly impacted during the conflict. The militant faction demolished numerous religious structures and other structures at Palmyra, asserting that they were un-Islamic. The cultural organization condemned the damage as a violation. Numerous historical objects were also damaged or stolen from archaeological sites and museums.