Six ancient Roman-era statues have been stolen from the National Museum in Damascus, one of the Middle East’s oldest cultural institutions, according to museum management on Tuesday.
The museum is home to Syria’s archaeological and artistic treasures. A source at the museum told Reuters that a thief broke a glass display case on Monday and apparently stayed inside the building until evening.
Items were stolen from the classical wing, housing artifacts from the Hellenistic, Roman, and Byzantine eras.
Museum staff described the items as gold ingots or metal bars, without specifying their age or origin.
Authorities have launched an investigation, according to the head of internal security in Damascus, Osama Mohammad Khair Atkeh.
Khair Atkeh, quoted by state news agency SANA, said specialized teams were conducting tracking and search operations to arrest those responsible and recover the stolen artifacts.
Security guards and officials were being questioned to determine the circumstances of the incident, he added.
A manager at the museum declined to comment, saying only that the institution "is closed for security reasons” and will reopen in the coming week. Syrian authorities have not yet officially confirmed the burglary.
Why was the Syria National Museum closed?
Established in 1919, the National Museum closed in 2012 because of fighting in the capital at the start of the country's civil war. It partially reopened in 2018 and resumed full operations in January 2025, a month after rebels toppled former President Bashar al-Assad.
Tens of thousands of items dating back to antiquity, including a range of prehistoric tools, Greco-Roman sculptures, and pieces of Islamic art.. During the country’s civil war, many pieces were stored elsewhere in the country for protection.
Reuters contributed to this report.