The Manhattan District Attorney’s office has announced the return of two smuggled antiquities, valued at $1.26 million, to Libya. The artworks, Marble Face of a Ptolemaic Queen and Female Bust, were previously in the possession of British art dealer Robin Symes.
According to a press release, these artifacts were looted from the ancient city of Cyrene and had been acquired by Symes for his personal collection. They were stored in a New York storage unit for over two decades. The Female Bust is believed to have been part of an important funerary relief from Cyrene’s ancient cemetery, known as a necropolis. Recent discoveries by Libyan archaeologists have identified what appears to be the intact torso of the Female Bust in its original tomb.
The ancient city of Cyrene experienced rampant looting during the late 1980s and 1990s, leading to these two Libyan antiquities appearing on the international art market. District Attorney Alvin Bragg expressed his disappointment that these valuable pieces had been kept hidden by a convicted trafficker. He commended the work of the Antiquities Trafficking Unit and partners at Homeland Security for facilitating the return of several artifacts from Cyrene to the people of Libya. The Manhattan District Attorney’s office continues to investigate stolen Libyan artifacts and anticipates more repatriation ceremonies in the future.
This marks the fourth repatriation involving looted antiquities connected to Robin Symes that the Manhattan District Attorney’s office has facilitated in the last five months. In February, a marble head of the emperor Hadrian dating back to 200 CE was returned. In April, an alabaster female figure from the 2nd century BCE was repatriated to Yemen. In May, a Mesopotamian limestone elephant was returned to Iraq. These efforts demonstrate the commitment to restoring stolen cultural heritage and ensuring it is returned to its rightful owners.
In addition to the Manhattan investigations, Greece announced in May that it would recover 351 looted items from Symes’ liquidated company after a 17-year legal battle. The Italian Ministry of Culture also held a press conference in June to exhibit 750 items worth an estimated $12.9 million that had been recovered from Symes’ liquidated company.
These ongoing repatriations highlight the global effort to combat illicit art trafficking and preserve cultural heritage. The return of these looted antiquities to their countries of origin represents a significant step towards righting historical wrongs and protecting the world’s cultural legacy.