The bronze statue of the Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius, who was returned to Turkey from the Cleveland Museum in the United States, returns to the lands where he finally belonged to the lands of Burdur Boubon in the 60s after being taken abroad by illegal excavation. One of the most valuable works of the ancient period is considered, 2-3 AD. The sculpture dated to the 18th century is of great importance in terms of art history by describing the emperor as a philosopher. Following the completion of scientific and legal processes, this year, the work, which will be re -placed in the Sanctuary of Boubon Sebasteion, became the symbol of international cooperation in order to protect the cultural heritage.
History is returning to Turkey’s lost treasury!
Marcus Aurelius statue, which is located in the Cleveland Art Museum collection of the United States, is returned to Turkey after long scientific and legal studies.
This sculpture, which is considered one of the rare bronze works of ancient times, describes Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius as a philosopher.
The sculpture, which was kidnapped abroad with illegal excavations in the 1960s in the Boubon Antique City in Burdur, is dated to the 2nd and 3rd centuries after Christ.
Sebasteion, which is an important cult structure of the ancient Roman Period, will meet with the land he was born this year.
Turkey kidnapped, for years changed hands
Bronze sculpture of the ancient city of Bobon, one of the missing treasures of Anatolian history, was kidnapped abroad with illegal excavations in the 1960s and changed hands for years.
The sculpture, which was included in the Cleveland Art Museum collection in Ohio, the United States, was one of the works that Turkey has been pursuing for more than 65 years.
Boubon Antique City missed works, Prof.Dr. Dr. Jale İnan was brought to the agenda with the researches led, but the extradition of Marcus Aurelius statue to Turkey has not been possible to date.
Thanks to the cooperation between the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the New York Manhattan Regional Prosecutor’s Office and the American Internal Security Investigations Unit, Lucius Verus, Sertimius Severus and Emperor Caracalla, including the statues of many Bubon origin, returned to his homeland.
Scientific evidence and legal process revealed the origin of the statue
The long -term work of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the scientific data gathered in previous years proved that the statue of Marcus Aurelius belongs to the sebasteion structure in the ancient city of Boubon.
Archive documents of the ministry, academic research and excavations in the ancient city clearly revealed the original place of the statue.
The statements of the witnesses who have knowledge about the intense illegal excavations in the ancient city supported the scientific data and decided to confiscate the statue of the Cleveland Museum of Art by justifying Turkey’s request for return.
The statue of Marcus Aurelius, which was exhibited at the Cleveland Museum in cooperation with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the US New York Manhattan Regional Prosecutor’s Office and the American internal security investigations unit, was officially confiscated.
The museum’s objection did not result! The work returns to Turkey …
The Cleveland Museum applied to the court in October 2023 against the seizure decision and appealed that the origin of the statue was not certain. However, the scientific data and meticulous analysis of Turkey refuted this objection of the museum.
Despite the strong evidence of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the Cleveland Museum of Arts met the demand for scientific analysis.
Under the supervision of the ministry experts, in May 2024, the statue was taken at the museum and the silicone foot mold was taken and it was found that the bronze statue pedestals in the ancient city of Boubon were compatible with the sculpture pedestals.
Archaeometry Specialist authorized by the Cleveland Museum. Dr. Ernst Pernickka and the expert conservatory of the ministry, Boubon Antique City and Burdur Museum Valerianus statue and Marcus Aurelius statue of bullet isotop, stone and soil analysis took samples for the analysis.
In addition, neutral analyzes in the Curteraometry center laboratories in Germany in Germany have certainly proved that the sculpture remained buried in Boubon for many years.
Following these strong scientific findings, the Cleveland Museum of Art accepted the extradition of the statue of Marcus Aurelius to Turkey and this decision was officially reported to Turkey by the Manhattan Regional Prosecutor’s Office.
Historical Success in the Protection of Cultural Heritage!
With this victory, Turkey has only achieved a great success in the international struggle against the smuggling of historical artifacts as well as taking an important step towards protecting its own cultural heritage.
The Ministry of Culture and Tourism, which continued its works in order to bring back the works abducted abroad through diplomatic, legal and scientific ways, recorded the return of Marcus Aurelius statue as one of the most important turning points of this struggle.
