News

1,800-Year-Old Stolen Artefact Returned To Turkey

ISTANBUL, Sept 23 — An 1,800-year-old Lydian era atonement inscription was returned early Wednesday to Turkey, where it was smuggled 23 years ago and later found in Italy.

Turkey was reunited with the historical inscription stolen from the ancient city of Saitta in Manisa province in the 1990s due to the efforts of the Culture and Tourism Ministry, Anadolu Agency reported.

After the inscription was handed over to ministry officials, it was loaded on a Turkish Airlines plane taking off from Rome and was brought to Istanbul Airport.

Preserved in a special box, the historical artifact was unloaded from the plane and was received by Rahmi Asal, head of the Istanbul Archaeology Museums Directorate.

The historical inscription will be sent to the capital Ankara as it is scheduled to be displayed at the Anatolian Civilisations Museum.

The artifact was seized in 1997 during a raid by an Italian anti-smuggling unit at an antiques merchant’s workplace.

Italian authorities reported the situation to Turkey on suspicion that it might belong to the Lydians, an Anatolian civilization.

Turkey’s Culture and Tourism Ministry confirmed the inscription was smuggled from the Apollon Aksyros Temple in the ancient city of Saitta in Manisa province.

According to the report, the ministry launched a long legal battle for the return of the inscription in 1998 and presented evidence that showed it was smuggled from Turkey.

But an Italian court ruled against Turkey in 2012 and Ankara appealed. A decision was suspended in 2013.

The Florence Court of Appeals ruled Nov 5, 2019, that it belongs to Turkey, setting off a return process to the country.

Sources: BERNAMA

Adib Mohd

Recent Posts

From Cookies to Classrooms: Starbucks Raises Over RM100K to Revive Centre for the Deaf

What if your sweet tooth could change lives? Since 2018, Starbucks Malaysia has raised over… Read More

2 days ago

Tous les Jours Expands in Malaysia with New Outlets at Sunway Pyramid and Sunway Velocity

Malaysian fans of delectable K-inspired baked goods will be delighted to hear that Tous Les… Read More

2 days ago

Stitch Lands in KL, Disney’s Blue Menace Takes Over Pavilion This School Holiday

Get ready for a school holiday filled with tropical vibes as Pavilion Kuala Lumpur transforms… Read More

2 days ago

Malaysia Gears Up for Southeast Asia’s First Smart City Expo, Here’s Why You Should Care

Kuala Lumpur just flipped the switch on something big. The 100-day countdown to Smart City… Read More

2 days ago

Ejen Ali: The Movie Review, A Next-Level Win for Malaysian Animation

Ejen Ali: The Movie 2 isn’t just a sequel, it’s a bold upgrade that proves… Read More

2 days ago

When Creativity Meets Comfort: LEGO® and IKEA Malaysia Reimagine Home Decor

When Creativity Meets Comfort: LEGO® and IKEA Malaysia Reimagine Home Decor With its latest collection… Read More

4 days ago

This website uses cookies.