🔗 Share this article Ancient Sculptures Taken from the National Museum Located in Damascus The National Museum resumed complete operations in the first month of this year, four weeks after the removal of President Bashar al-Assad. Historic statues and additional items have been removed from Syria's National Museum in the capital, sources confirm. The burglary was noticed on the start of the week, when museum workers apparently found that a doorway had been forced from the interior. The half-dozen stolen sculptures were marble creations and dated back to the ancient Roman times, an authority stated to the Associated Press. Cultural heritage officials said it had launched a probe to establish the "circumstances surrounding the loss of a collection of exhibits", and that actions had been enacted to improve security and observation methods. The head of internal security in the capital area, Brig-Gen Osama Atkeh, was referenced by the state-run Sana news agency as stating that security forces were probing the incident, which he said had affected several "archaeological statues and rare collectibles". He continued that security personnel at the institution and other individuals were being interrogated. The Damascus Museum, which was founded in 1919, houses the primary historical artifacts in the country. It includes historical records tracing back to the Bronze Age from historical site, where proof of the oldest known writing system was found; 1st and 2nd Century AD ancient art from historical site, one of the most important historical locations of the classical era; and a ancient synagogue that was built at an ancient location. The facility was forced to close in 2012, a year after the beginning of the devastating civil war. The majority of the collection was evacuated and preserved at secret locations to ensure their safety. It reopened partially in 2018 and completely reopened in the beginning of the year, one month after opposition groups removed Syria's former leader. Each of the six of the country's cultural landmarks were damaged or partially destroyed during the conflict. The Islamic State group destroyed numerous temples and additional edifices at Palmyra, claiming that they were idolatrous. International authorities denounced the damage as a violation. Countless historical objects were also lost or looted from archaeological sites and cultural institutions.