Turkish police units seized several historical artifacts including a relief and column fragments depicting the figure of a baby Eros during a house raid in the western province of Manisa.
A security source requesting anonymity told Anadolu Agency (AA) that gendarmerie forces raided the suspect S.B.'s home in the Sart neighborhood in the Salihli district after receiving a tip.
Three pieces of a relief with the figure of the Roman period Eros, the mischievous deity of love, five column capitals and three pieces of stone with motifs were discovered during the search of the house.
The detainee was released after his statement to the security forces. The historical artifacts were handed over to the Manisa Museum Directorate.
The modern-day village of Sart lies right next to the ancient city of Sardis, which served as the capital of Lydians, an Iron Age kingdom that ruled over Anatolia between the 12th and 6th centuries BC. and known for inventing coins as an exchange medium.
Excavations or drilling to locate historical artifacts or treasures are not permitted in Turkey and those found guilty face varying prison sentences.
