Thieves steal six Roman statues from Damascus museum

Thieves broke into the National Museum of Damascus on Sunday night and stole six ancient Roman-era marble statues, with the heist discovered Monday morning when staff found a smashed door in the classical department.time
Brig. Gen. Osama Atkeh, the police chief in Damascus, confirmed that several statues and rare collectibles were stolen, and authorities are questioning museum guards and other individuals as part of an ongoing investigation.timesofisrael
The theft occurred less than a year after the museum reopened in January following the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in December, despite enhanced security measures including new surveillance cameras and metal gates installed during Syria’s civil war.time
The International Council of Museums warned in June of an emerging black market for cultural objects in Syria, where treasure-hunting devices are widely available and looted artifacts are openly advertised on social media.time

Six Roman Statues Stolen From Damascus National Museum

Thieves broke into Syria’s National Museum of Damascus on Sunday night and stole six ancient Roman-era marble statues, prompting authorities to temporarily close the facility and launch an investigation, officials confirmed Tuesday.

The heist was discovered early Monday morning when museum staff found a smashed door in the classical department, according to two officials from Syria’s Directorate-General for Antiquities and Museums who spoke anonymously to the Associated Press. Brig. Gen. Osama Atkeh, the police chief in Damascus, told state news agency SANA that “several statues and rare collectibles” were taken and that guards and other individuals are being questioned.time

The theft marks the most recent setback for Syria’s beleaguered cultural heritage, coming less than a year after the museum reopened on January 8 following the December 8, 2024 collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s regime. The museum had briefly closed during the political transition due to concerns about looting during the chaotic period when rebels entered Damascus.timesofisrael

Security Concerns Mount

Despite enhanced security measures installed after Syria’s civil war began in 2011—including metal gates and surveillance cameras—the thieves managed to breach the facility. Some reports suggest museum employees and guards were detained for questioning before being released.timesofisrael

Adnan Almohamad, an honorary research fellow at the University of London who studies archaeological heritage looting in Syria, suggested the theft may have been an inside job. “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 told Hyperallergic.instagram

Broader Heritage Crisis

The stolen artifacts came from what Maamoun Abdulkarim, former head of Syria’s antiquities and museums department, described as “a beautiful and historically-rich department with artifacts dating back to the Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine periods”.timesofisrael

The International Council of Museums warned in June 2025 of an emerging black market for cultural objects in Syria, noting that electronic treasure-hunting devices are openly sold in major cities and looted artifacts are advertised on social media. Since 2011, more than 40,000 artifacts have been looted from Syrian museums and archaeological sites.aol

The Damascus museum heist occurred just weeks after thieves stole jewels valued at approximately $100 million from the Louvre Museum in Paris. Syria’s Directorate-General for Antiquities and Museums said in a statement that measures were taken immediately to guarantee the safety of remaining antiquities, though it did not specify what was stolen.time