France returns 23 Syrian treasures after 15 years as Macron visits Damascus
Summary
France has returned 23 Syrian archaeological artifacts after keeping them for about 15 years following a loan for an exhibition. The return happened during French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to Damascus, Syria, marking the first visit by a major Western leader since President Bashar Assad’s ouster in 2024.Key Facts
- The 23 artifacts include Roman bronze objects, Byzantine and Islamic-era pieces, and a colorful mosaic panel from the Umayyad Mosque.
- These items were loaned to an exhibition in Paris in 2011 but stayed in France as diplomatic ties between France and Syria were cut under Assad’s rule.
- The artifacts belong to museums in Damascus, Aleppo, Latakia, and Palmyra.
- The returned pieces cover Syrian history from the ninth millennium B.C. to the 14th and 15th centuries A.D.
- Syria described France as the first country to cooperate in its national campaign to recover antiquities kept abroad.
- The artifacts were flown back to Syria on President Macron’s plane and displayed at the National Museum in Damascus.
- Syria’s deputy director-general of antiquities called the return a historic moment amid years of conflict and diplomatic isolation.
- The visit by President Macron is considered a landmark event as the first major Western leader to come to Syria since President Assad’s removal.
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