Bronze figure of Marcus Aurelius, looted from Türkiye in 1960s, will be repatriated
A bronze statue of Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius, looted from Türkiye in the 1960s, is set to be repatriated after years of legal efforts, the Turkish Culture and Tourism Ministry said.
The statue, which depicts Aurelius as a philosopher, was illegally excavated from the ancient city of Boubon in Burdur and smuggled abroad. It is currently housed at the Cleveland Museum of Art in the US.
Following a lengthy legal and scientific investigation, the statue will be returned to Türkiye later this year.
The Cleveland Museum of Art contested the seizure in court in October 2023, arguing that the figure's origins were unclear. However, Türkiye presented evidence refuting the claim, leading to the decision to return the artifact.
Turkish Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy welcomed the return, calling it “a historic repatriation.”
Ersoy reaffirmed Türkiye's commitment to reclaiming its cultural heritage. "We continue to protect our history and bring back stolen artifacts through international cooperation. History belongs where it was created, and we will preserve it," he said.
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