Thieves broke into Syria's National Museum in Damascus and stole six ancient marble statues dating back to the Roman era, according to museum officials. The theft was discovered early Monday morning when museum staff found a broken door in the classical department section of the country's largest museum.
The National Museum of Damascus was temporarily closed following the discovery of the heist but has since reopened. The museum had only recently resumed operations in January 2025 as Syria continues recovering from a devastating 14-year civil war and the fall of the Assad family's 54-year rule in late 2024.
According to an official from Syria's Directorate-General for Antiquities and Museums, the theft occurred Sunday night and involved six marble statues from the museum's classical collection. The official, who spoke anonymously due to government regulations, confirmed that an active investigation is underway. Damascus Police Chief Brigadier General Osama Atkeh told the state news agency SANA that several statues and rare collectibles were taken, and that museum guards along with other individuals are being questioned.
The stolen artifacts came from what experts describe as one of the museum's most historically significant sections. Maamoun Abdulkarim, former head of the government's antiquities and museums department, explained that the affected area houses "beautiful and historically rich" artifacts spanning the Hellenistic, Roman, and Byzantine periods. The museum contains priceless antiquities that represent thousands of years of Syrian cultural heritage.
Security measures at the National Museum had been significantly enhanced after Syria's civil war began in March 2011. Authorities installed metal gates and surveillance cameras throughout the facility and relocated hundreds of artifacts from around the country to Damascus for safekeeping. Despite these precautions, the recent theft highlights ongoing security challenges facing Syria's cultural institutions.
The museum's recent reopening on January 8, 2025, came just one month after rebel forces successfully ousted President Bashar Assad, ushering in a new era for the war-torn nation. Museum officials had briefly closed the facility immediately following the rebel offensive that ended five decades of Assad family rule, citing fears of potential looting during the political transition.
Syria's cultural heritage has suffered extensive damage throughout the prolonged conflict. The historic central town of Palmyra, which was once controlled by the Islamic State group, experienced particularly severe destruction. In 2015, ISIS militants deliberately destroyed ancient mausoleums within Palmyra's UNESCO World Heritage site, which is renowned worldwide for its 2,000-year-old Roman colonnades, archaeological ruins, and irreplaceable artifacts.
The Directorate-General for Antiquities and Museums issued an official statement confirming that an investigation has been launched and that immediate measures have been implemented to ensure the safety of remaining antiquities within the museum. However, the statement did not specify exactly which items were stolen, referring only to "some exhibits" that went missing. When journalists attempted to visit the museum on Tuesday, guards denied entry and prohibited photography of the premises.
