- BIST10011,722-2.89%
- USD49.45+0.05%
- EUR55.62+0.37%
- GOLD4,186.70+0.40%
- INTEREST37.00%-1.00
- BITCOIN81,345-0.19%
- October 17, 202618°
- BIST10011,722-2.89%
- USD49.45+0.05%
- EUR55.62+0.37%
- GOLD4,186.70+0.40%
- INTEREST37.00%-1.00
- BITCOIN81,345-0.19%
- October 17, 202618°
Last panel of 'Gypsy Girl' mosaic returned to Turkey from US
Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy announced at a ceremony in Gaziantep that the 13th panel of the 'Gypsy Girl' mosaic, missing for 60 years, has been returned from the US and added to the collection.
The long-lost final piece of the ancient 'Gypsy Girl' mosaic has returned to Turkey in a ceremony at the Zeugma Mosaic Museum in Gaziantep. Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy announced that the 13th panel of the mosaic, which was smuggled abroad 60 years ago, has been repatriated from the US and is now on display at the museum.
Minister Ersoy emphasized that scientific research and cooperation with US authorities were decisive in the return. Research by Dr. Camila Felag of Grenoble Alpes University and assessments by Zeugma Excavation Director Prof. Dr. Kutalmış Görkay revealed that the panel belongs to the same composition. When ministry experts determined that the piece was put up for sale, they initiated efforts with the US Homeland Security Investigations unit, and the process was successfully completed.
Agreement with US extended
Ersoy announced that the memorandum of understanding on combating cultural property trafficking signed with the US in 2021 has been extended for another five years. He noted that within this cooperation, a total of 13,454 cultural artifacts have been returned to Turkey since 2002, with 9,139 of those occurring in the last eight years.
The minister said, "As the missing pieces return, we are not just completing a mosaic; we are repairing a damaged memory and filling gaps in the pages of history." Gaziantep Governor Kemal Çeber stated that the city is one of the provinces that has benefited most from the return of historical artifacts, while Metropolitan Mayor Fatma Şahin expressed her satisfaction at the end of a 60-year longing.
The other 12 panels of the mosaic were also returned in 2018 and put on display at the Zeugma Mosaic Museum. The artifact was smuggled abroad in the 1960s as a result of illegal excavations in the ancient city of Zeugma.
Stay Updated with Ally Daily
Subscribe to be informed about special news, developments and announcements. We will keep you informed.
By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy
