9 historical artifacts consisting of 6 pieces taken from Turkey to the USA were returned with a ceremony held at the Antalya Museum. With the joint work of Manhattan District Attorney's Office, the American Homeland Security and Intelligence Unit (HSI), the Ministry of Culture and Tourism's General Directorate of Cultural Heritage and Museums, the Antalya and Burdur museum directorates, the New York City Culture and Promotion Counselor and the General Directorate of Promotion, the ancient cities in Anatolia were looted and looted. The statue of Lucius Verus, Attis figurine, Apollon figurine, Cephea type idol, duver terracotta plate and 4-piece columnar sarcophagus, which were smuggled to the USA, were brought back to Turkey.
At the Antalya Museum, the delivery contract was signed with the ceremony attended by the Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy and the US Ambassador to Ankara Jeffry Flake.
“We have not let them go for half a century”
In his speech, Minister Ersoy said that they came together because of the return of the artifacts, which left their lands years ago, to the place where they belong, within the framework of important efforts and the principle of the rule of law.
Stating that the course of each of the returned artifacts is different, Ersoy emphasized that they have been following the artifacts plucked from the land they belong to for half a century.
Ersoy reminded that a group of bronze sculptures in the exhibition opened in the USA in 1967 were considered to be of Turkish origin, but it was not known where they belonged, and continued as follows:
“Jale Inan Hodja, who struggled to prove where these artifacts belong, became aware of another bronze sculpture find in Burdur in the 1970s. When he compares the statue in question with the examples he saw in the USA, he understands that its origins are the Bubon Ancient City, located within the borders of our city of Burdur. He then started excavations in the area and matched the sculptures in the exhibition with the inscriptions on the statue pedestals he found in the area. This work is recognized worldwide. But all these efforts are not enough to return the works to our country.”
Noting that journalist and writer Özgen Acar, a researcher who has carried out important studies for the detection of illegally displaced cultural assets, participated in Jale Hodja's scientific studies with criminological evidence, Ersoy noted that these clear data were not enough for Turkey to get results.
Ersoy pointed out that this was due to the inability to reach the necessary international cooperation at that time.
“We carried out a very meticulous study”
Minister Ersoy emphasized that the statue, which belongs to the 1st and 2nd centuries AD and depicts the Emperor Lucius Verus, is an extremely impressive work in terms of its artistic features.
Ersoy stated that they learned that the Manhattan District Attorney's Office was conducting an investigation with the cooperation of the American Internal Security and Intelligence Unit at a time when they decided to reopen the Bubon files despite the negative returns over the years, and that they focused all their energies on this issue for more than a year.
“We used the timely data obtained as a result of the researches of both Jale Inan and Özgen Acar, we interviewed the residents of the village, we found old and original photographs, and we used the documents in the law enforcement archive. prof. Dr. We strengthened our scientific arguments with the file prepared by Ertekin Doksanaltı. We worked very meticulously and created hundreds of pages of folders. We were asked to compare the footprints left on the base of the statue with the foot length of the statue. Our Burdur Museum experts working closely with our Smuggling Department renewed the measurements and documented the work with photographs. We confirmed that the foot measurement of the statue and the measurement we took in the area matched. After this news, there was no obstacle for the artifact to return to the lands it belongs to.”
Ersoy, who learned that a columnar sarcophagus of Perge origin is also in the Kassel Museum in Germany, stated that the Ministry made attempts in the 1970s, but the studies did not yield any results.
Stating that it is not enough to scientifically prove that the artifact belongs to Perge, it is also expected to prove that it was taken illegally, Ersoy said, “We started to work again. On the return of the sarcophagus, our Anti-Smuggling Department and Antalya Museum Directorate carried out a joint study to form the basis of our file. We applied to people who might have information on the subject, both in terms of age and place of residence. Scientifically, Prof. Dr. We received reports from Ramazan Özgan. When these efforts coincided with the findings of the Manhattan team, we passed an important stage in our cooperation process. This sarcophagus, which was probably cut into pieces for easier transport, is now on the land it belongs to. We will quickly begin the necessary work for the restoration of the sarcophagus.” he said.
"I am so happy"
Noting that the artifacts brought back to Turkey are originally from Balıkesir, Afyonkarahisar and Burdur, Ersoy said that the artifacts were returned to the lands they belonged to within the scope of the investigations completed after the information and documents were transmitted to the USA.
Ersoy said, “I am very happy to witness and support the completion of at least a part of a half-century-long process and to see the contribution of these assets to the cultural heritage of our country. I would like to thank Colonel Matthew Bogdanos, HSI Special Agent Robert Mancene, Prosecution experts Apsara Iyer and Daniel Healey for meticulously coordinating this process.” used the phrases.
US Ambassador to Ankara Jeffry Flake stated that they signed an agreement to protect the cultural heritage between his country and Turkey and said, “We have crowned with a signature to bring back the artifacts removed by smugglers from the country. This will not end here.” said.
Ambassador Flake, together with the Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, attended the return ceremony held at the Antalya Museum of the Lucius Verus statue, Attis statuette, Apollon statuette, Kapaka type idol, duver terracotta plate and 4-piece columnar sarcophagus, which were looted from ancient cities in Turkey and smuggled into the USA. joined.
Stating that Turkey has a very impressive cultural heritage, Flake said that he is happy that the artifacts have returned to their homeland as a result of the efforts.
Returned works
The Roman period columnar sarcophagus fragments originating from the Ancient City of Perge in Antalya are dated to 140-150 AD. The sarcophagus fragments are considered unique because of the combination of heroes such as Heracles, Thesus, and Achilles in the scenes depicted on them.
It is known that the human-sized bronze statue of the Roman Emperor Lucius Verus, which was found to be taken out of the country from the Bubon Ancient City of Burdur, was seized during the illegal excavations carried out in the Sebasteion structure in the ancient city and was illegally taken abroad.
Marble “kura type idol”, dated to the Early Bronze Age, is one of the schematized female figures commonly seen in Western Anatolia in the 3rd millennium BC.
The Anatolian origin of the Attis statuette, which is depicted in a sitting position, belonging to the 3rd century BC Hellenistic period, was determined by style-critical examinations. According to Phrygian and Greek mythology, Attis is seen as the lover or wife or son of the mother goddess Cybele, and in some sources she is seen as a priest.
The statue of Apollo from the Roman period, 1-2 BC. century is dated.
The terracotta plate belonging to Burdur Düver village belongs to the Phrygian period.
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