The bronze statue of Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius, which was smuggled out of the country from the ancient city of Boubon in Burdur approximately 65 years ago, was returned to Türkiye after long diplomatic and legal struggles. According to the statement made by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the statue's return ceremony was held at the Cleveland Museum of Art in the state of Ohio in the United States. Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism Gökhan Yazgı also attended the ceremony.
The Long-Term Struggle Has Yielded Results
A rare bronze work depicting Marcus Aurelius as a philosopher, which is in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art, has been returned to its homeland as a result of the meticulous diplomatic, legal and scientific work carried out by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism for years. Deputy Minister Gökhan Yazgı announced this good news via a post on his social media account, stating that the statue was officially returned to Türkiye on April 14, 2025. Yazgı emphasized that after approximately 65 years of scientific, legal and diplomatic efforts, the statue of Marcus Aurelius has finally returned to Anatolian soil.
To Be Exhibited in Cleveland for Three Months
Before being brought to Türkiye, the bronze statue of Marcus Aurelius will be exhibited for three months at the Cleveland Museum of Art in a special exhibition to highlight the collaboration between Turkish and American institutions. Following this exhibition, the statue is expected to be brought to Türkiye in July 2025 to be revived within its own cultural context. Thus, Marcus Aurelius’ long and sad journey will come to an end in the land where he belongs.
The Kidnapping Process and Follow-up
The statue of Marcus Aurelius was unearthed in the 1960s during illegal excavations at the ancient city of Boubon in Burdur and was then smuggled out of the country. The work, which was included in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art in the 1980s, was followed carefully by Turkey for decades. The Cleveland Museum of Art, which took an ethical and constructive approach in the face of the comprehensive scientific data provided by Türkiye, eventually accepted the return of the work.
International Cooperation Example
The return of the Marcus Aurelius statue to Türkiye stands out as an exemplary model of cooperation at the international level for the protection of cultural heritage. The handover ceremony, which was also attended by Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism Gökhan Yazgı, once again demonstrated the importance of diplomatic, legal and scientific cooperation in ensuring cultural justice and combating historical artifact smuggling. This development has once again proven Türkiye’s determination to protect its cultural assets and its effectiveness in the international arena.
