Turkey returns two heritage assets to China

By Yasemin Kalyoncuoglu

ANKARA (AA) - Turkey’s Culture and Tourism Ministry returned Monday two heritage assets of China donated to a Turkish museum by a British citizen.

A ceremony was held at the Anatolia Civilizations Museum in the capital Ankara with the attendance of Turkey’s Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy and China’s Ambassador to Ankara Deng Li.

Speaking at the ceremony, Ersoy said: “Each artifact is beautiful in its own lands, where it belongs, it is meaningful there. This is our respect for the essence of cultural assets.”

Ersoy said Turkish authorities reached out to Chinese authorities after finding out that the artifacts belonged to them.

“One of the artifacts belongs to Tang Dynasty which ruled from 618-907 AD, and the statuette belongs to Sui Dynasty that ruled between 557-618 AD,” he said.

Ersoy also noted that the foreigner who donated the artifacts asked to remain anonymous. He had brought the assets to the Fethiye Museum in Mugla province of Turkey after finding it in his mother's house after her death.

Li thanked Turkey for the efforts to reinstate the cultural assets, adding that both countries have been cooperating on the issue of protecting cultural assets.

Following the speeches, the return protocol was signed.

*Writing by Sena Guler