Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy announced that a collection of cultural artifacts, including a monumental bronze emperor statue of Bubon origin, a Roman-era portrait of Demosthenes and pieces from the Urartu and Lydian civilizations, has completed its journey from New York to Türkiye.
Ersoy shared the news on his social media accounts, highlighting the return of the artifacts from the United States.
“Cultural assets, including the monumental bronze emperor statue of Bubon origin, the Roman-era portrait of Demosthenes and artifacts from Urartu and Lydian civilizations, have completed their journey from New York to Türkiye,” Ersoy wrote. “These works, which also include a marble column capital depicting Archangel Michael, were returned from the Metropolitan Museum of Art in the U.S. and delivered to the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations. Through scientific and legal efforts, we have reunited these pieces with their homeland, where they belong.”
Ersoy emphasized Türkiye’s ongoing commitment to protecting its cultural heritage and ensuring its return to its country of origin through international cooperation. He expressed gratitude to everyone involved in the process, particularly the teams from the Directorate General of Cultural Heritage and Museums.
According to a statement from the ministry, Türkiye has reached a new milestone in its international efforts to recover its cultural heritage.
After scientific and legal procedures conducted in the U.S., the historic artifacts were delivered last week to the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations in Ankara. The collection, previously held at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art, includes rare items from multiple civilizations. Their return marks the effective completion of a long-running repatriation process.
The returned artifacts include the monumental bronze emperor statue of Bubon origin, the Roman-era portrait of Demosthenes, artifacts from the Urartu and Lydian civilizations and a marble column capital depicting Archangel Michael. These items, spanning various periods and regions, provide important insight into Anatolia’s multi-layered history.
The repatriation followed thorough scientific studies, provenance research and legal proceedings, conducted in coordination with international institutions.
With this latest return, the total number of Bubon-origin artifacts repatriated to Türkiye has reached 18, six of which are monumental emperor statues larger than life.
The process involved close collaboration with the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office and the U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
In California, a private collector initially resisted returning a Bubon artifact, prompting an investigation. Türkiye contributed evidence to the case through eyewitness accounts and scientific reports, demonstrating that the artifact had been illegally excavated from the ancient city of Bubon. This evidence formed the basis for an arrest warrant and the collector ultimately surrendered the artifact to the U.S. authorities, facilitating its return to Türkiye. Investigations also uncovered the network involved in the illegal trade of the artifact dating back to the 1960s.
The return of these artifacts reflects Türkiye’s long-term policy of protecting its cultural heritage. Through international cooperation, Anatolian-origin artifacts are evaluated and repatriated in accordance with their origins.
The Museum of Anatolian Civilizations will display the returned works to the public after necessary conservation and scientific studies are completed.
