Photo taken on July 13, 2023 shows an ancient tomb stele at the Zeugma Museum in Gaziantep province, Türkiye. Turkish culture minister said Thursday that Italy has returned a 1,800-year-old smuggled tomb stele. (Photo by Mustafa Kaya/Xinhua)
ANKARA, July 13 (Xinhua) -- Turkish culture minister said Thursday that Italy has returned a 1,800-year-old smuggled tomb stele.
The relic smuggled from the ancient city of Zeugma in Türkiye and found in Italy last year, was handed over to the Zeugma Museum in Türkiye's southern Gaziantep province, Turkish Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy told reporters.
The stele features a female figure and words saying "Farewell, Satornila, the wife who loved her husband," the semi-official Anadolu Agency reported, citing Ersoy.
Speaking to a press conference in the Zeugma Museum, the minister revealed that the Italian authorities reached out to Turkish side after seizing the tomb stele.
Later, examination by Turkish experts showed that the stele had been stolen and smuggled from Zeugma, he said, thanking Italy for facilitating the return of the relic. ■
Turkish Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy speaks during a press conference at the Zeugma Museum in Gaziantep province, Türkiye, on July 13, 2023. Turkish culture minister said Thursday that Italy has returned a 1,800-year-old smuggled tomb stele. (Photo by Mustafa Kaya/Xinhua)
Photo taken on July 13, 2023 shows an ancient tomb stele at the Zeugma Museum in Gaziantep province, Türkiye. Turkish culture minister said Thursday that Italy has returned a 1,800-year-old smuggled tomb stele. (Photo by Mustafa Kaya/Xinhua)
