An ancient bronze statue believed to depict Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius has been returned to Turkey from the United States, 65 years after it was smuggled out of the country, Turkish authorities announced Saturday.
The statue, looted in the 1960s from the ancient city of Boubon in what is now the southwestern Turkish province of Burdur, was repatriated following cooperation between Turkish officials and US authorities.
Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Ersoy called the return a victory after years of effort.
“It was a long struggle. We were right, we were determined, we were patient, and we won,” Ersoy said.
“We brought the ‘Philosopher Emperor’ Marcus Aurelius back to the land where he belongs,” he added.
The statue had been on display at the Cleveland Museum of Art from April to July. It was returned to Turkey based on what Ersoy described as “scientific analyses, archival documents and witness statements.”
He praised the collaboration with the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office and the US Homeland Security Investigations unit.
“Through the combined power of diplomacy, law and science, the process we conducted is more than just a repatriation; it is a historic achievement,” he said.
Ersoy said the return of the statue was a concrete result of the government’s efforts to recover cultural heritage removed from Turkey.
“We will soon present the Philosopher Emperor to the people of Ankara in a surprise exhibition,” he said.
© Agence France-Presse