Smuggled Turkish historical artifacts in US set to come home

Turkish cultural artifacts confiscated from the home of American art collector will be handed over to the country's consulate general in New York early this month, according to a senior Turkish official.

Last month, in an anti-smuggling operation, the Manhattan Prosecutor's Office seized 180 cultural artifacts from 11 countries worth $70 million from the residence of hedge fund billionaire Michael Steinhardt.

Among the items were 14 artifacts of Turkish origin, including "Stag's Head Rhyton-a drinking vessel dating from 400 BC that's worth an estimated $3.5 million today," according to The New York Post. Other items from Turkish soil include a mother goddess idol, a mountain goat figurine, bird idols, and a distinctively shaped Kilia-type idol.

Zeynep Boz, anti-trafficking head at the Turkish Culture and Tourism Ministry, told Anadolu Agency that they have been working diligently for two years to return these artifacts, which carry great importance for the country's cultural heritage.

"These will first be delivered to our New York Consulate General. From there it will be brought to Türkiye," she explained, adding that they hope to present the works to the public soon.

Diplomats expect to get the artifacts in the first half of this month, adding that these cultural assets will be shown at the Istanbul Archeology Museum.

'RAPACIOUS APPETITE FOR PLUNDERED ARTIFACTS'

"For decades, Michael Steinhardt displayed a rapacious appetite for plundered artifacts without concern for the legality of his actions, the legitimacy of the pieces he bought and sold, or the grievous cultural damage he wrought across the globe," said a prosecutors' statement quoted by Boz.

In 2017, when Steinhardt sought to put the Kilia idol, also known as Stargazer, which was stolen from Manisa, western Türkiye, on auction at Christie's, it tried to get the piece back as soon as possible, said Boz.

But neither the auction house nor Steinhardt was willing to return the idol, so Türkiye filed a lawsuit.

Noting that during the trial Türkiye had shown very important evidence, Boz said: "It's very clear where the work was taken from. Such excavations can't be found anywhere else except Anatolia."

But the judges questioned why Türkiye did not notice the idol earlier, when Steinhardt loaned it to the Metropolitan Museum, she added.

She explained that they tried to get back another Kilia idol as soon as it was seen in the auction catalog but the court decided in favor of Steinhardt at the time.

"We also appealed the decision of the US court," she said, adding that Türkiye expects the return of this artifact as well.

Another Kilia idol is among the artifacts that will be returned, she said, adding: "It's not the same size, but it's very important for us in terms of exhibiting the same culture."

Last month, Türkiye announced that it recovered some 3,480 of its cultural assets in 2021, thanks to the efforts of the country's anti-smuggling authorities.

The process for recovering artifacts involves multiple state agencies, including law enforcement and judicial authorities, as well as diplomatic efforts and court cases in the countries where the artifacts are found.

Taking cultural assets abroad without official permission has been illegal since the Republic of Türkiye's founding, and earlier in the Ottoman Empire.

Under current legislation, unlicensed excavation is illegal, as is failing to report any uncovered artifacts to authorities.