The US Embassy in Libya drew attention to the recent joint initiative by the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the Libyan government. It added that this concerted effort has led to the successful recovery of two valuable artifacts, that were illicitly taken from the historical city of Cyrene in Shahat, Libya. The Embassy added that it is “pleased to announce that these invaluable pieces of history have been returned to their rightful Libyan custodians.”
It added that this collaborative achievement “provides further evidence of the effective results driven by the 2018 US-Libya bilateral cultural property agreement. It emphasizes our joint commitment to the protection and conservation of cultural heritage, with a specific focus on Libya.”
“The return of these irreplaceable artefacts to Libya not only strengthens the cultural ties between the US and Libya, but also underscores the significance of global cooperation in safeguarding humanity’s cultural legacy. As we look to the future, our dedication to preserving our mutual cultural heritage continues to be of utmost importance,” the Embassy concluded.
In February, Libya’s Attorney’s General Office stated that 300 artefacts dating back to the Greek period were found in the possession of a person in Al-Bayda city, in eastern Libya.
The Attorney General ordered the seizure of the artefacts while continuing to collect information on the case. The statement added that the Public Prosecutor within the jurisdiction of the Al-Bayda Court of Appeal assumed the responsibility of supervising the work to verify the legality of possession of the artifacts.
This came two days after the Stability Support Apparatus announced that it had managed to recover the “Capitoline Wolf” artefact, which has been stolen from the Saraya Al-Hamra Museum.
In a statement, the Stability Support Apparatus confirmed that this came in a security operation in the Al-Asabaa area, under the supervision of the Attorney General’s Office.
It added that the Western Bureau of Investigation, alongside the Apparatus’s office in Nesma and Gharyan cities, ambushed and raided a location in the Al-Asabaa area. They found the artifacts, and noted that the suspect managed to escape, due to the harsh geographical nature of the region.
The Apparatus noted that the operation took place under the supervision of the Public Prosecutor’s Office, the Director of the North Tripoli Prosecution Office, and the Director of the Gharyan, Al-Asabaa District Public Prosecution Office, and with direct follow-up from the Agency’s Affairs Office.
It stressed that all legal measures were taken regarding the incident, adding that the seized artefact was delivered to the Public Prosecution.
The statue of the “Capitoline Wolf” represents the emblem of Rome. According to Roman legend, the “Lupa” breastfed the twins Romulus and Remus, who founded Rome in 753 BC.
The Apparatus said the artefact was located on one of the two obelisks in front of the Saraya Al-Hamra Museum in Tripoli. It was removed from the obelisk in 1963, and placed in the museum before it was stolen.
