Culture and Tourism Ministry's General Directorate of Cultural Heritage and Museums continues its efforts for the return of the life-size bronze statue of Roman Emperor Septimus Severus' head, which is exhibited in Denmark, as part of their previous works to ensure the return of historical artifacts smuggled from Türkiye.

Thanks to the efforts carried out by the General Directorate of Cultural Heritage and Museums since 1980, nearly 23,000 historical artifacts smuggled from Türkiye to foreign countries have been returned. With the support of scientists and ministry personnel, the artifacts have been traced and returned to their original lands with evidence under the bilateral international agreements signed with many countries.

The collection of priceless works, which includes a Roman statue, "Weary Herakles," the sarcophagus of Heracles, and Elmalı Coins, the treasure of the century, is among those artifacts that have been returned to the country.

In March, cooperating with diplomatic missions, 12 historical artifacts were returned from New York City in the U.S. to Antalya Museum. During the opening of the exhibition, Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy announced that efforts to return the missing head of the rare bronze statue of Roman Emperor Septimus Severus, which is among the 12 artifacts, were still ongoing.

Displayed at Copenhagen Museum

The ministry's personnel continue their efforts to return the missing head of the rare bronze statue of Roman Emperor Septimus Severus, which is currently exhibited in Denmark. The missing piece of the bronze statue has been shown for many years in the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek Museum in Copenhagen, where Auguste Rodin's "The Thinker" is also on display. After the missing head is returned, it will be reconnected to the Septimus Severus statue exhibited in the Antalya Museum, as in the "Weary Herakles" statue.

Severus statue

Septimus Severus is a rare and significant statue. It was found in the illegal excavations carried out in the ancient city of Bourbon in the Gölhisar district of Burdur in the 1960s and taken out of the country. The statue, attributed to Roman Emperor Septimius Severus, who ruled from A.D. 193-211, is one of the enthralling bronze statues that have survived to the present day.