Turkey repatriated from the United States an ancient statue on Saturday, which is expected to show Roman Emperor Marc Aurelia, the government in Ankara announced. This is part of the efforts to return ancient artifacts illegally exported from the country, TASR reports according to the AFP report.
The bronze statue from the ancient town of Bubon, smuggled from today’s Burdur province in the southwest of Turkey in the 60s of the 20th century, returned to the country after 65 years. “It was a long fight. We were right, we were determined, patient and won,” The Minister of Culture and Tourism was stated by Mehmet Ersoy.
This unique artifact, once exhibited in the United States, was returned on the basis of scientific analyzes, Archival documents and testimonies of witnesses, the Minister added. The headless statue was exhibited at the Museum of Arts in Cleveland, immediately before returning from April to July.
Turkey is determined to protect all its cultural heritage according to Esoyathat was illegally exported from the country. They plan to introduce a repatriated statue at an extraordinary exhibition in Ankara.
