A bronze statue of Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius, which was illegally smuggled out of Türkiye in the 1960s during illicit excavations, has been officially returned to Türkiye at a ceremony held at the Cleveland Museum of Art in the United States.
Culture and Tourism Deputy Minister Gökhan Yazgı shared the news on his social media account, announcing that the statue of Marcus Aurelius would be returning to its rightful homeland.
In his post, Yazgı stated: "The unique bronze statue of Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius, depicting him in his philosopher persona, was illegally taken abroad in the 1960s from the ancient city of Boubon. The statue has now been officially returned to Türkiye at a ceremony held at the Cleveland Museum of Art. After nearly 65 years of scientific, legal and diplomatic efforts, the statue of Marcus Aurelius is finally returning to Anatolia, where it truly belongs. Before its return to Türkiye, the artwork will be on display for three months as part of a special exhibition at the Cleveland Museum of Art. In July, it will be brought to our country, where it will be reintegrated into its cultural context. Thus, Marcus Aurelius' long journey will end in the land from which it originally came."
