🔗 Share this article Ancient Sculptures Taken from the National Museum in Damascus The Damascus Museum resumed complete operations in January of this year, four weeks after the removal of Syria's former leader. Valuable sculptures and cultural objects have been stolen from the National Museum of Syria in the capital, officials say. The robbery was discovered on the start of the week, when employees allegedly found that one of the museum's doors had been broken from the inside. The multiple missing statues were made of marble and originated to the Roman era, an authority informed the Associated Press. Syria's Directorate-General for Antiquities and Museums said it had opened an investigation to establish the "details surrounding the theft of a group of exhibits", and that steps had been enacted to enhance safeguarding and surveillance. The director of domestic security in Damascus province, Brig-Gen Osama Atkeh, was quoted by the official media as stating that security forces were investigating the incident, which he said had focused on several "ancient sculptures and rare collectibles". He noted that security personnel at the museum and other individuals were being interrogated. The cultural institution, which was established in the early twentieth century, houses the primary historical artifacts in Syria. It features historical records tracing back to the 14th Century BC from historical site, where proof of the oldest known linguistic system was discovered; Greco-Roman period classical statues from the ancient city, one of the most important ancient sites of the historical period; and a ancient synagogue that was built at an ancient location. The facility was compelled to shut in the early 2010s, one year after the beginning of the devastating civil war. Most of the artifacts was evacuated and stored at secret locations to safeguard them. It reopened partially in recent years and resumed full operations in early this year, a month after opposition groups overthrew President Bashar al-Assad. Every one of Syria's Unesco World Heritage sites were damaged or partially destroyed during the internal struggle. The IS organization demolished several temples and additional edifices at Palmyra, asserting that they were idolatrous. The cultural organization denounced the damage as a atrocity. Numerous artefacts were also lost or stolen from archaeological sites and collections.