UPDATE: In a shocking incident, thieves have stolen six valuable Roman-era statues from the National Museum of Damascus early this morning, November 10. Museum staff discovered the break-in when they found the door to the classical department forced open, according to reports from the Associated Press.
This brazen heist comes as Syria is struggling to recover from a devastating civil war and a long history of dictatorship under Bashar al-Assad. The museum, the largest in Syria, was already grappling with the aftermath of cultural heritage looting that spiked after the fall of the Assad regime last December.
Authorities have launched an investigation into the theft, which also included gold ingots of unspecified origin. The Syrian Directorate-General for Antiquities and Museums has yet to respond to inquiries regarding security measures at the museum.
Witnesses reported that the break-in occurred in the early hours, raising speculation about the perpetrators’ knowledge of the museum’s layout and vulnerabilities. Adnan Almohamad, an expert in archaeological heritage looting at Birkbeck College, University of London, suggested in a statement to Hyperallergic that the operation may have been an inside job. He highlighted that the thieves displayed considerable familiarity with the museum’s operations.
Almohamad noted, “It appears that the operation was carried out by individuals with good knowledge of the Damascus Museum and the vulnerabilities that Syrian museums have faced for many years.” He also recalled a similar incident in 2010 when a staff member was implicated in the theft of 13 items from a national museum in Deir ez-Zor.
Despite the distressing nature of the theft, Almohamad pointed out a silver lining: the stolen items were taken from the exhibition hall, which means they are well-documented. This could reduce the risk of illicit sales compared to if they had been stolen from less-organized storage areas containing hundreds of thousands of items.
As the investigation unfolds, the cultural heritage of Syria remains at risk. The theft underscores the ongoing challenges faced by museums in the region, especially in a post-conflict society where the protection of historical artifacts is crucial.
Authorities are urging anyone with information about the theft to come forward as they work to recover the stolen treasures and enhance security measures at the museum.
Stay tuned for updates on this developing story and its implications for Syria’s rich cultural heritage.
