New York returns 36 looted antiquities, including Palmyra relief, to Syria
Thirty-six looted antiquities worth more than US$5 million are going back to Syria.
The handover was announced on 23 September 2026 by Alvin Bragg, the Manhattan District Attorney in New York. His office said the 36 pieces were returned to the people of Syria at a ceremony in New York City. Manhattan District Attorney's Office
The group includes 14 rare mosaics. It also includes a massive funerary relief from Palmyra, a stone carving made to mark a tomb in the ancient desert city in central Syria. Anadolu Agency
Palmyra is the name to know here. Its tower tombs and carved portraits are among the most recognised faces of the ancient Middle East. That is why the return of a large relief from the site drew particular attention in New York. ARTnews
Thirteen of the 36 pieces had been seized from the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The museum, on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, is one of the largest art museums in the world. Its collection has faced sustained scrutiny over provenance, the documented chain of ownership that shows how an object left its country of origin.
Those 13 pieces formed part of a much larger seizure of 402 antiquities valued at US$98.7 million, according to the account of the case published by the outlet that reported it. The New Arab
What makes this stand out is the scale in one room. Thirty-six objects. More than US$5 million in total value. For the public in Syria, that means mosaics and carvings that can be studied, conserved and put on display at home rather than held as evidence abroad.
No further details about the remaining 23 pieces have been published beyond the total count and value. The district attorney's announcement did not list private collectors or dealers by name in the material released.
