Khaberni - A source close to the management of the National Museum in Damascus, and a security source, reported the theft of the museum overnight Sunday and Monday, stating that the thieves stole gold pieces exhibited in the classical wing.
Years of Syrian conflict since 2011 have devastated archaeological landmarks and valuable symbolic heritage, with tens of thousands of artifacts plundered. However, the capital's museum remained unaffected by these consequences, and it received rare archaeological artifacts from other areas for preservation. A source close to the museum's administration, without revealing his identity for security reasons, confirmed that "the heist included 6 archaeological pieces displayed in the museum's classical wing." Another source confirmed this information. The source close to the administration mentioned that the stolen items were "gold castings."
The museum's administration did not respond to questions, and a museum official simply stated that "the museum is closed for a security reason and will reopen next week." No official statement has been released by the authorities yet.
Meanwhile, a security source revealed that "a number of museum employees and guards were detained for questioning on Monday following the theft, before being released." An official from the Syrian Museums Administration explained that "security forces prohibited staff entry to the exhibition halls after the theft."
The classical wing is one of the museum's most important sections, hosting rare artifacts from various eras, including the Hellenistic, Roman, and Byzantine periods, collected from key archaeological sites in Syria. Among the displayed items are funeral beds, rare mural paintings, and stone statues.
The General Directorate of Antiquities and Museums in Syria reopened the museum on January 8, 2025, after having closed it on the eve of President Bashar al-Assad’s overthrow, fearing theft and plunder. At the time, the museum's administration confirmed that "no transgressions had occurred at the museum."
Several civilizations have succeeded one another in Syria, from the Canaanites to the Umayyads, and spanning the Greeks, Romans, and Byzantines.
Archaeological sites and museums were not spared from the impacts of the war, with fixed sites experiencing significant damage, especially the Old City in Aleppo, north, and Palmyra, central.
In 2020, a report published by the Gerda Henkel Foundation and the Syrian Association for the Protection of Antiquities, in Paris, stated that more than 40,000 archaeological artifacts had been looted from museums and archaeological sites since the war began in 2011.
