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The National Museum in Damascus has taken in 21 archaeological artifacts returned by the United States, Syrian Director of Museum Affairs Ammar Kenavi told Anadolu Agency.
He said the pieces arrived on the presidential plane with a delegation accompanying President Ahmad al-Sharaa.
Kenavi stressed that the handover carries political and cultural weight, especially now. Bringing back items smuggled out during the war years helps Syrians regain a lost sense of identity, he added.
"The return of archaeological artifacts also means the return of Syrian identity," Kenavi said.
He hopes every piece taken illegally from the country eventually makes its way back, comparing it to people uprooted by the civil war going back to their country and houses.
Kenavi said the 21 items handed to the Syrian delegation in New York span different periods and materials. They include four cylinder seals with religious and mythological imagery, along with various bronze figurines.
Among the figurines, a bronze statuette of a woman stands out for its artistic and historical value. Kenavi noted that officials believe the piece originates in the Euphrates region.
Another item, a glazed ceramic jug, resembles pottery produced in Raqqa in the late Ayyubid period, Kenavi said. Although they come from different regions and eras, all of them carry traits of Syrian art, he added.
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