Syria unveils archaeological treasures returned from France after 15 years

France has returned 23 Syrian archaeological treasures that remained in the country for about 15 years after being loaned for an exhibition.

Their return coincided with French President Emmanuel Macron’s landmark visit to Damascus — the first by a major Western leader since the ouster of Bashar Assad in late 2024.

The artifacts, flown aboard Macron's presidential aircraft and returned to Syria's National Museum, include Roman bronze objects, Byzantine and Islamic-era pieces and a richly colored mosaic panel that once adorned the Umayyad Mosque.

The collection was loaned in 2011 to an exhibition of Syrian antiquities at the Arab World Institute in Paris.

"Today, we are unveiling a selection of archaeological artifacts that have been returned to Syria," said Ayman al-Nabo, deputy director-general of Syria's Antiquities and Museums, at the opening of an exhibition at the National Museum in Damascus featuring two of the returned pieces.

At the National Museum, curator Nivine Saadeddine said the returned collection spans some of the most significant periods of Syrian civilisation.

“They date from the ninth millennium BC to the 14th and 15th centuries AD. Every single artefact is of great historical significance, representing a distinct chapter of Syria’s rich history,” she said.

Syria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said France is the first country to cooperate with Syria under a national campaign to recover antiquities held abroad since Assad was overthrown by insurgent forces, ending more than five decades of Assad family rule.

Syria’s cultural heritage suffered extensive damage during the country’s nearly 14-year conflict.

Ancient cities, including the UNESCO World Heritage site of Palmyra, were heavily damaged, while landmarks such as the medieval Crusader fortress of Crac des Chevaliers bear scars from years of fighting.

Militants from the so-called Islamic State destroyed temples, tombs and monumental sculptures in Palmyra, considering them symbols of idolatry, while trafficked antiquities became a lucrative source of revenue for armed groups