Ask Onix
Six Roman-era statues stolen from Damascus National Museum in overnight heist
Thieves broke into Syria's National Museum in Damascus over the weekend, making off with six marble statues dating to the Roman era, officials confirmed Monday. The theft was discovered when staff arrived to find a door forced open from inside the building.
Investigation launched as security tightened
The Directorate-General for Antiquities and Museums announced it had opened an inquiry into the "loss of a number of exhibits" and was reinforcing surveillance measures. Brig-Gen Osama Atkeh, head of internal security for Damascus province, told state media that authorities were probing the disappearance of "archaeological statues and rare collectibles." Museum guards and other personnel are being questioned as part of the investigation.
Museum's storied collection and wartime history
Founded in 1919, the National Museum houses Syria's most significant archaeological treasures, including 14th Century BC cuneiform tablets from Ugarit-where the world's oldest known complete alphabet was unearthed-as well as Greco-Roman sculptures from Palmyra and a 3rd Century AD synagogue from Dura Europos. The institution closed in 2012 amid the civil war, with most artifacts relocated to secret storage for protection. It partially reopened in 2018 and fully resumed operations in January 2025, following the overthrow of President Bashar al-Assad.
Broader context: War's toll on Syria's heritage
All six of Syria's UNESCO World Heritage sites suffered damage or destruction during the conflict. The Islamic State group systematically demolished temples in Palmyra, labeling them "idolatrous," while UNESCO condemned the acts as war crimes. Widespread looting and destruction of artifacts from museums and archaeological sites further devastated the country's cultural legacy.
The museum's collection represents millennia of civilization, from early alphabets to synagogues that predate Christianity. Each loss erases a piece of shared human history.
UNESCO statement on Syrian heritage, 2023
