🔗 Share this article Valuable Sculptures Taken from Syria's National Museum in Damascus The National Museum resumed complete operations in the first month of this year, a month after the overthrow of President Bashar al-Assad. Valuable statues and cultural objects have been removed from Syria's National Museum in Damascus, authorities report. The robbery was found on Monday, when employees allegedly found that a doorway had been broken from the inside. The half-dozen missing statues were crafted from marble and originated to the Roman era, an authority stated to the news agency. Syria's Directorate-General for Antiquities and Museums said it had initiated an inquiry to establish the "circumstances surrounding the loss of a group of exhibits", and that measures had been enacted to strengthen safeguarding and monitoring systems. The chief of internal security in the capital area, General Osama Atkeh, was cited by the government press as stating that authorities were investigating the incident, which he said had targeted several "archaeological statues and rare collectibles". He noted that guards at the institution and other persons were being questioned. The Damascus Museum, which was created in the early twentieth century, houses the significant archaeological collection in Syria. It contains ancient inscribed tablets originating to the ancient era from an ancient city, where indications of the oldest known linguistic system was uncovered; Greco-Roman period Greco-Roman sculptures from Palmyra, a significant cultural centres of the historical period; and a 3rd Century AD synagogue that was established at Dura Europos. The museum was forced to close in 2012, a year after the start of the internal strife. The majority of the artifacts was transferred and preserved at secure places to protect them. It reopened partially in 2018 and completely reopened in January 2025, a month after rebel forces deposed President Bashar al-Assad. Each of the six of Syria's Unesco World Heritage sites were damaged or significantly impacted during the civil war. The militant faction blew up numerous religious structures and historical sites at Palmyra, asserting that they were idolatrous. International authorities condemned the demolition as a war crime. Numerous historical objects were also damaged or looted from archaeological sites and museums.