Septimius Severus statue head returned to Türkiye after 60 years

By Yasemin Kalyoncuoglu

A significant cultural artifact, the bronze statue head of Roman Emperor Septimius Severus, has been returned to Türkiye after nearly six decades.

The statue, which originates from the ancient city of Boubon in Burdur, was illegally excavated in the 1960s and subsequently sold to Denmark's NY Carlsberg Glyptotek Museum in 1970.

The return was made possible by the Turkish Culture and Tourism Ministry's diplomatic efforts, as well as the determination to preserve the country's archaeological treasure.

The statue’s head, which was combined with a body found in the museum in 1979, will soon be displayed in Türkiye.

Its return is seen as a major step in preserving Anatolia’s rich cultural heritage.

The ancient city of Boubon, famous for its grand Roman Empire structures, houses several important artifacts, many of which were looted in the mid-20th century.

In addition to this return, Türkiye has successfully reclaimed several Boubon artifacts from the US, including sculptures and busts of Roman emperors.

This marks another milestone in the ministry’s ongoing efforts to restore cultural treasures lost to illegal trade.

Officials at the Glyptotek Museum backed the return, citing ethical concerns and the importance of returning stolen artifacts to their rightful place.

The statue’s return is part of a broader initiative to return artifacts taken from Türkiye during the 1960s, including critical terracotta plaques from the Pisidia region.

With the return of this statue head, Türkiye has now brought back 94 artifacts in 2024 alone, bringing the total number of returned pieces to more than 12,000 since 2002.

*Writing by Gizem Nisa Cebi