At a ceremony at Bodrum Castle, Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy displayed seven antiquities that were repatriated from Switzerland to Turkey. In accordance with the 2022 Agreement on the Prevention of the Illicit Import, Export, and Transfer of Cultural Property, the artifacts, which date from the Late Bronze Age and Roman eras, were returned.
The General Directorate of Cultural Heritage and Museums coordinated the return of the items to Turkey after they were discovered to have been unlawfully taken from Anatolia. Ersoy emphasized the accomplishments of the 2022 pact inked with Switzerland while personally inspecting the artifacts.
Through careful study by the Anti-Smuggling Department and museum specialists, he added, the items were determined to be Anatolian in origin, and Swiss officials had contacted Türkiye to return them in accordance with the agreement. Expressing gratitude for the items inclusion in the national collection. Ersoy said, “This is neither the first nor the last. Larger and more significant works will be brought home through similar efforts.”
Ersoy noted that the fight against smuggling was being pursued not only through international cooperation but also at the local level. “Our Anti-Smuggling Department prioritizes educating villagers and citizens in Anatolia, where many of these artifacts originate. Thanks to their tips and the close monitoring of law enforcement, major works are intercepted before leaving the country,” he said.
Mentioning the operations by the Turkish National Police, as well as deterrent measures by the gendarmerie and effective customs controls, Ersoy said, “Over the past five years, more than 900,000 artifacts have been secured and added to our museums before being smuggled abroad.”
The minister also stressed the international impact of Turkey’s efforts. “Collectors worldwide now know that if they include a Turkish or Anatolian artifact that was illegally removed in their collections and reveal it in any way, the Turkish government will act immediately and ensure its return, no matter how long it takes. This has greatly reduced interest among collectors in such items and serves as one of the most effective deterrents against treasure hunters,” he said.
Seven valuable items were returned
The objects have great archeological and cultural significance and were found by the Swiss Federal Office of Culture while conducting a criminal investigation in the Canton of St. Gallen. These include Late Bronze Age votive figures of a man and woman made of gilded bronze, which are thought to have been dedicated to gods and used to guard holy places. Their Anatolian origin is highly supported by their artistic and technical resemblance to examples from the Uluburun Shipwreck.
A unique gold earring made with the granulation method, which is an example of the exquisite artistry of ancient Anatolian goldsmiths, is also part of the collection. Two Roman-era objects—a glass balsamarium and a small amphora—reflect commonplace every day and burial objects from antiquity.
Green-yellow glass oil containers from an Early Middle Ages multi-armed lamp (polykandelon) are also notable for their artistry and probable application in architectural adornment and religious rites.
Source: Hurriyet Daily News
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