🔗 Share this article Ancient Artifacts Taken from Syria's National Museum in Damascus The Damascus Museum resumed complete operations in January of this year, a month after the removal of Syria's former leader. Valuable artifacts and additional items have been taken from Syria's National Museum in Damascus, authorities report. The robbery was noticed on the start of the week, when employees reportedly found that an entrance had been damaged from the interior. The six stolen statues were crafted from marble and originated to the ancient Roman times, one official informed the news agency. Syria's Directorate-General for Antiquities and Museums said it had launched a probe to identify the "details surrounding the loss of a collection of items", and that measures had been taken to enhance safeguarding and observation methods. The director of domestic security in Damascus province, Brig-Gen Osama Atkeh, was referenced by the government press as stating that security forces were examining the robbery, which he said had targeted several "historical artifacts and valuable objects". He added that museum protectors at the facility and other persons were being interrogated. The cultural institution, which was established in the early twentieth century, contains the significant archaeological collection in the country. It contains ancient inscribed tablets tracing back to the Bronze Age from an ancient city, where evidence of the oldest known writing system was found; 1st and 2nd Century AD ancient art from Palmyra, one of the most important cultural centres of the classical era; and a ancient synagogue that was established at another archaeological site. The facility was had to cease operations in the early 2010s, one year after the outbreak of the devastating civil war. A large portion of the artifacts was evacuated and kept at undisclosed sites to protect them. It partially resumed in recent years and returned to normal in early this year, a month after insurgents deposed Syria's former leader. Every one of nationally recognized sites were damaged or partially destroyed during the civil war. The Islamic State group destroyed numerous ancient buildings and other structures at Palmyra, stating that they were un-Islamic. International authorities denounced the demolition as a war crime. Countless artefacts were also damaged or stolen from dig sites and collections.