đź”— Share this article Historic Sculptures Stolen from the National Museum in Damascus The Damascus Museum reopened fully in the first month of 2025, four weeks after the deposition of President Bashar al-Assad. Historic artifacts and additional items have been removed from Syria's National Museum in the capital, sources confirm. The robbery was discovered on Monday, when employees reportedly found that an entrance had been damaged from the interior. The multiple taken statues were crafted from marble and dated back to the ancient Roman times, a source informed the media outlet. Syria's Directorate-General for Antiquities and Museums said it had launched a probe to identify the "details surrounding the loss of a group of exhibits", and that measures had been taken to improve safeguarding and observation methods. The chief of domestic security in the Damascus region, Brig-Gen Osama Atkeh, was referenced by the official media as saying that authorities were examining the robbery, which he said had affected several "ancient sculptures and rare collectibles". He noted that museum protectors at the museum and additional people were being questioned. The cultural institution, which was created in the early twentieth century, holds the primary historical artifacts in Syria. It contains ancient inscribed tablets originating to the 14th Century BC from Ugarit, where indications of the earliest writing system was uncovered; early centuries CE ancient art from historical site, a significant cultural centres of the classical era; and a ancient Jewish temple that was established at an ancient location. The institution was compelled to shut in the early 2010s, one year after the beginning of the devastating civil war. The majority of the artifacts was transferred and stored at undisclosed sites to protect them. It began limited operations in recent years and returned to normal in January 2025, one month after opposition groups deposed Syria's former leader. All six of nationally recognized sites were damaged or partly ruined during the civil war. The militant faction destroyed numerous temples and historical sites at the ancient city, asserting that they were idolatrous. The cultural organization denounced the damage as a violation. Countless artefacts were also damaged or looted from dig sites and museums.