Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy: "The statue of Kybele, which has been away from its country since the 1960s, has now come to its homeland."
Minister Ersoy: "I call on all our people to act consciously against the smuggling of cultural assets and to support the measures taken by our relevant state units."
Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, from Turkey to Israel in the 1960s taken sold and nearly 60 years after his birth in abundance in brought back to prehistoric times to the soil and fertility symbol, protector believed to be "mother goddess" was the introduction of the Cybele statue.
Istanbul Archaeological Museum in actual meetings Speaking at the Ministerial Ersoy, the land of every part of the culture and civilization wealth in Turkey and they conducted intensive studies to impart to all mankind, he told us that they acted with great sensitivity to maintain existing legacy however.
"We Have Started a Much More Effective Struggle Around the World"
Stating that the Anti-Smuggling Branch Office is now serving as the Department Head, Minister Ersoy said, “The Department; It works in a triple structure that branches out as the Domestic Anti-Smuggling, Anti-Smuggling, Education and Awareness Branch. It is necessary to increase the number and opportunities of our teams required for the struggle. With the Presidential decree, we brought it to the level of the Department and tripled it. By increasing their powers and resources, we have started a much more effective struggle around the world. " he spoke.
Underlining that the Department's Department continues its activities to combat cultural property smuggling despite the epidemic conditions, Minister Ersoy said:
“As a result of this, the statue of Kybele, which has been away from its country since the 1960s, has now arrived in its homeland. The return process of the work started when an Israeli citizen requested permission from the authorities of his country to export a Roman Period statue of Kybele in 2016 and the Israeli authorities forwarded the photograph to our country and requested information about its origin. Istanbul Archeology Museums Directorate experts Feza Demirkök and Şehrazat Karagöz, who recently retired from our museum, have determined the typological similarity of this statue to the 'Kovalık Works', which were found in Afyonkarahisar in 1964 and are currently on display at the Afyonkarahisar Museum. I would like to thank my dear colleagues once again for their meticulous work. "
Stating that action was taken in the light of the information obtained, it was asked to stop the sale of the work to be carried out in the USA, Minister Ersoy said:
"Related party affiliation Cybele open the case on the statue, he has responded by initiating a legal process against Turkey. Our counter-claims regarding the return of the Kybele statue have been conveyed to all our interlocutors, with the hard work of our Ministry, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and New York Consulate General. In addition to the on-site examinations and reports of the experts of our Ministry to prove that the statue belongs to our country, the Ministry of Internal Affairs General Directorate of Security and the Anti-Smuggling and Organized Crime Departments of the Gendarmerie General Command also made a significant contribution. "
"Process Completed by Peace"
Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, offering his thanks to those who contributed to the return process of Cybele statues, the words continued as follows: "Scientific evidence, trace the emergence of witnesses living in the region in the years when issued statements and documents related to the smuggling incident in Afyonkarahisar that of Cybele statue belongs to Turkey confirms. In addition, documents obtained from the personal archive of the late Hasan Tahsin Uçankuş, who served as the Director of the Afyonkarahisar Museum in the years when the statue was unearthed, also showed the consistency of the witness statements. All the results of this joint work and effort, people who have work in hand, the statue has agreed to return to Turkey, through the peace process has been completed. "
"The Struggle Continues Not Only On The Field, But Also In The Digital World"
Stating that the Ministry continues this struggle with sensitivity not only in the field but also in the digital world, Minister Ersoy said:
“On the internet, social media posts regarding illegal activities carried out in order to search for cultural assets and treasures are detected by both the Ministry and the police and gendarmerie authorities. As a result of these findings, a criminal complaint is made against individuals who are determined to have committed the crime of cultural property smuggling and illegal excavation, and decisions are made to prevent access to shares. The close cooperation between the General Directorate of Cultural Heritage and Museums of our Ministry and the General Directorate of Legal Services is further strengthened by the convictions and decisions of our courts to block access. I would like to express once again that this struggle is not a field of activity in which the state power can be waged only. I call on all our people to act consciously against the smuggling of cultural assets and to support the measures taken by our relevant government units. "
Minister Ersoy shared the information that the Kybele statue will return to Afyonkarahisar after the completion of the new museum.
About the Kybele Statue
The lions on both sides of Kybele, who was worshiped as the "mother goddess", the symbol and protector of fertility and abundance in Anatolia, especially in the Mediterranean basin since prehistoric times, symbolize her dominance over nature and animals.
In ancient social and religious life, it was a common tradition for individuals to make offerings to gods or goddesses in order to honor the divine presence they believed in or about their wishes they had or wished they had. Materials offered to temples or sanctuaries to honor God were considered "votive objects". Depending on the social and economic status of the person, votive objects ranged from a simple piece of stone to a flamboyant sculpture.
In the inscription section of Kybele, known in history as a votive statue presented by Asclepiades of Sideropolis to Mother Twelve Gods, "Hermeios' son erected the sacrifice of Asclepiades from Sideropolis to the Mother Twelve Gods." statement is included.
Israel kidnapped the statue of Cybele from Turkey in the year 1960, the experts tarihlendiriliy to the 3rd century AD. In the studies, it is understood that the sculpture in question is of Anatolian origin in the light of the typological characteristics of the sculpture, the type of marble used, the workmanship and the information obtained from the inscription.
Return Process
Roman work of reaching Israel illegally from Turkey, "Cybele", which was bought by an Israeli citizen. The person who applied to the Israeli authorities in 2016 to take it abroad declared that the statue is of Anatolian origin.
Culture began to follow the work forward with photographs of the Israeli authorities to Turkey and Tourism Ministry, reported that the work originated in Anatolia was about to reach the United States.
After the author wanted to sell the statue through an auction house, the Department requested the US authorities to stop the sale.
The owner of the work filed a lawsuit in the USA, stating that he owned the sculpture, which he declared to be his own, as a bona fide buyer.
Culture and Tourism Ministry, Foreign Ministry and Turkey's Consulate General in New York City against claims court for the return of the vehicle Cybele.
The typological resemblance of the statue to the "Kovalık artifacts" found in a road study in Afyonkarahisar in 1964 and exhibited in the museum of the province was emphasized by the experts of the Istanbul Archeology Museums Directorate, under the coordination of the law enforcement officers and the Afyonkarahisar Museum Directorate in the region where the artifacts were thought to have been unearthed. The information of the persons living in the years was consulted.
the statue of one person referenced in the statement, describing the photo, without seeing the statue of Cybele missed choose from other similar sculpture photos, create a supportive work has found evidence that in Turkey.
As a result of the statements and the documents obtained, it was determined that a person living in Konya was smuggling historical artifacts at that time, while the prosecutor's office documents found by the Konya Museum Directorate provided additional evidence regarding smuggling acts and illegal acquisition of similar artifacts in the aforementioned area in Afyonkarahisar.
Scientific evidence has confirmed the appearance and manners of work during the years of living in the region to witness statements issued with smuggling incident in Afyonkarahisar related documents Cybele statues that belong to Turkey.
Turkey's fast and accurate tracking results, showing a conciliatory attitude towards the statue of the author Kybl from start seeing cases in the United States has agreed to return to Turkey.
Its great to hear that Statue of Cybele is back in Turkey after 60 years.
Great News !!! Honest efforts
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