Damascus, July 18 (SANA) – The file of recovering Syrian antiquities is witnessing growing momentum, with dozens of artifacts being repatriated from both inside and outside the country.
This trajectory combines citizen-led initiatives, official institutional efforts, and diplomatic action in the post-liberation era, aiming to protect the national heritage and recover cultural properties that were lost or smuggled during the years of war.
Citizens as Guardians of Memory
Several individual initiatives over the past period have demonstrated a growing societal awareness of the importance of protecting antiquities as an integral part of national identity.
In Raqqa province, site guardian Abdul Latif Al-Khalaf and his wife hid around ten artifacts from the ” Harqaleh ” site inside their home in 2013 to protect them from looting during the control of ISIS groups.
They subsequently handed them over on April 27 to Raqqa Antiquities Department, paving the way for their return to Ja’bar Museum.
In Aleppo, a citizen handed over several archaeological finds to the Directorate of Antiquities and Museums on June 18, which he had collected during the war after they were offered to him in his capacity as a silver shop owner.
Meanwhile, citizen Muhannad Mustafa delivered a collection of bronze coins to the National Museum on July 22, 2025, after recognizing their historical value.
Additionally, residents of Idlib contributed to preserving 1,234 archaeological items and 198 pieces dating back to the ancient kingdoms of Ebla and Mari by hiding them in secure warehouses before officially handing them over to the Antiquities Directorate in late 2025.
Recovering Assets inside Syria
The Syrian government has continued its efforts to recover artifacts from various sites within the country.
On July 5 of the current year, Salamiyah Antiquities Branch, in coordination with authorities concerned, managed to access a technical services’ warehouse that had been closed since 2007.
They extracted 21 artifacts, including basalt and Corinthian architectural capitals and sarcophagi, in preparation for displaying them within an open-air museum project.
Furthermore, in July 2025, Aleppo Directorate of Antiquities and Museums received approximately 1,000 diverse artifacts, including pottery, bronze, glass, and stone statues.
This recovery was part of joint anti-smuggling efforts involving the Aleppo Governorate, the Jarablus region command, and Ministry of Defense forces.
Diplomatic Action
Repatriation efforts have also extended beyond Syria’s borders. On July 7 of this year, Damascus received 23 artifacts that had been on loan to the Arab World Institute in Paris since 2010, on the sidelines of French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to Damascus.
The recovered pieces include items dating back to the 10th millennium BC of the Islamic era, marking the first group of artifacts Syria has successfully repatriated from France as part of its broader efforts to reclaim cultural properties located abroad.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates affirmed at the time that the recovery of these pieces represents the beginning of a continuous pathway to repatriate Syrian antiquities held overseas. This falls within the framework of national and diplomatic efforts aimed at protecting heritage, safeguarding national identity, and enhancing international cooperation in this field.
Dr. Masoud Badawi, Director General of Antiquities and Museums, clarified that the pieces will be stored in the directorate’s warehouses according to specialized conservation standards, pending the organization of a comprehensive exhibition at the National Museum in Damascus.
This will allow the public and researchers to view the complete collection, reflecting the richness of Syria’s civilizational heritage and the importance of the efforts made to preserve and recover it.
Cultural and Developmental Dimensions
Experts note that the repatriation of antiquities is not merely about returning historical items to museums; it also contributes to supporting the rehabilitation of cultural institutions, revitalizing academic research and tourism, and enhancing the presence of Syrian heritage in the global cultural landscape.
Within this framework are ongoing projects to rehabilitate several museums, including the National Museum in Damascus, the museums of Idlib and Maarrat al-Numan, alongside the open-air museum project in Salamiyah.
These initiatives will enable the display of more artifacts and make them accessible to researchers and visitors.
As repatriation operations continue, the protection of Syrian heritage remains a shared responsibility, integrating the efforts of citizens and institutions to safeguard Syria’s civilizational legacy for future generations.
Iman Alzuheiri/MZ
