A headless ancient bronze statue, believed to depict either the Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius or an unnamed philosopher, is set to return to Turkey after decades in a U.S. museum. The Cleveland Museum of Art has agreed to surrender the artifact following a seizure order from Manhattan investigators, who determined that the statue was looted from the ancient site of Bubon.
The statue, installed between A.D. 50 and 250, once graced an ancient shrine in a region of what is now Turkey that was once part of the Roman empire. Earthquakes buried many of statues over time, including this one. Local farmers unearthed the remains in the 1960s and sold them through underground markets. Many of these artifacts later appeared in museums and private collections worldwide.
Forensic testing confirms the statue’s origins
The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office launched an investigation to trace the statue’s origins. Their Antiquities Trafficking Unit, led by Matthew Bogdanos, conducted extensive forensic testing and witness interviews. The analysis confirmed that the statue was among those looted from Bubon.
Key evidence to support this came from scientific tests comparing soil samples from inside the statue to soil from Bubon. Experts also used lead isotope analysis and 3D modeling to match the statue with remnants at the ancient site.
The United States will return the Marcus Aurelius statue to Türkiye after 65 years of requests. pic.twitter.com/wTNwnUbkOJ
— Daily Turkic (@DailyTurkic) February 15, 2025
Investigators discovered lead residue on the statue’s foot, which matched deposits in a stone base at Bubon’s shrine, proving that the bronze had once stood there.
“Without this new research, the museum would not have been able to determine with confidence that the statue was once present at the site,” the Cleveland institution said in a statement.
Museum ends legal battle over the seizure
The museum, which acquired the statue in 1986, had initially challenged the seizure order in court. However, after months of discussions, it withdrew its legal challenge. Officials from the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office described the museum’s cooperation in verifying the statue’s origins.
“This investigation included extensive witness interviews and forensic testing that proved conclusively this antiquity was looted from Bubon,” Alvin L. Bragg, the Manhattan district attorney, said in a statement.
With the return of the Cleveland bronze, the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office has now seized 15 artifacts originally taken from Bubon.
Other institutions, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Greek, Etruscan, and Roman Art at Fordham University, and the Worcester Art Museum in Massachusetts, have also surrendered looted items. Fourteen of these artifacts have already been repatriated.
The Cleveland bronze will be sent back to Turkey once logistical arrangements are finalized with Turkish officials. The museum stated that, while the statue is not currently on display, it may be allowed a final temporary exhibition before its repatriation.