Artifacts dating from the 4th to 7th centuries, including an oil lamp from the Byzantine era, seven coins minted in the cities of Istanbul, Balikesir and Izmit, and a gold medallion, seized in Switzerland, were recently returned to Türkiye.
The items were handed over to representatives of the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism and are expected to arrive in Türkiye at the end of this month.
The Swiss authorities’ investigation into the trafficking of cultural goods was prompted by documents indicating the illegal transportation of historical artifacts. Further investigation revealed an organized network for smuggling artifacts, especially from the Middle East to Europe.
This criminal network involved a chain of participants, including clandestine excavators, suppliers, intermediaries, specialized restorers, producers of fakes, gallery owners and art dealers. The network’s operations stretched across Switzerland, the United States, the Caribbean, Gibraltar, Panama and the United Kingdom. In response, the Geneva courts issued sentences to individuals implicated in the scheme.
During the investigation, customs officials near Geneva seized an oil lamp dating from between the 5th and 7th centuries, whose origin was traced back to Türkiye. Experts from the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism analyzed the piece, confirming its provenance, and shared the results with the Swiss authorities, under a bilateral agreement to combat trafficking in cultural goods.
At the same time, in an independent investigation conducted in Switzerland, seven Byzantine coins, dating between the 4th and 6th centuries, and a gold medallion, minted in the cities of Istanbul, Balikesir and Izmit, were also seized. These artifacts were later formally returned to Türkiye in an official ceremony held at the Turkish Embassy in Switzerland.
With the inclusion of these artifacts, Türkiye has achieved the repatriation of a total of 12,164 cultural treasures since 2002. Significantly, of these returns, 7,846 have taken place since 2018, reflecting an increase in recovery efforts. In 2024 alone, 45 artifacts have been returned to the country so far.
