Valuable Artifacts Removed from the National Museum Located in Damascus
Ancient artifacts and cultural objects have been stolen from the National Museum of Syria in Damascus, sources confirm.
The theft was noticed on the start of the week, when staff allegedly found that a doorway had been forced from the interior.
The multiple stolen pieces were made of marble and dated back to the Roman era, an authority informed the media outlet.
Cultural heritage officials said it had initiated an inquiry to identify the "events surrounding the loss of a collection of items", and that steps had been implemented to improve safeguarding and monitoring systems.
The chief of domestic security in the capital area, General Osama Atkeh, was referenced by the state-run Sana news agency as declaring that law enforcement were investigating the incident, which he said had affected several "ancient sculptures and valuable objects".
He continued that security personnel at the institution and other individuals were being questioned.
The National Museum, which was founded in 1919, contains the most important cultural treasures in the country.
It contains clay cuneiform tablets tracing back to the 14th Century BC from Ugarit, where proof of the most ancient complete alphabet was uncovered; Greco-Roman period ancient art from historical site, one of the most important ancient sites of the classical era; and a ancient religious building that was established at another archaeological site.
The institution was forced to close in 2012, a year after the outbreak of the internal strife. Most of the holdings was evacuated and preserved at secret locations to protect them.
It began limited operations in recent years and completely reopened in the beginning of the year, one month after insurgents removed the Assad regime.
Each of the six of nationally recognized sites were affected or significantly impacted during the civil war.
The IS organization blew up several ancient buildings and additional edifices at the archaeological site, stating that they were idolatrous. International authorities censured the demolition as a atrocity.
Countless historical objects were also lost or looted from dig sites and cultural institutions.
