Travel Turkey: Head of the Statue from Boubon Ancient City is Being Returned to Turkey

The Boubon Ancient City, located in Burdur, is an important center with remnants from the Roman Empire. The bronze head of a statue, belonging to the Roman Emperor Septimius Severus (who ruled from AD 193 to 211), was illegally taken abroad during excavations at Boubon in the 1960s. The statue head was sold to the Glyptotek Museum in Denmark by art dealer Robert Hecht Jr. in 1970, and in 1979, it was reunited with the body of the statue at the museum.

The research and scientific publications of Turkish scholar Prof. Dr. Jale İnan in the 1970s played a crucial role in identifying the origins of the statue and its subsequent return. The statue head is considered one of the rare pieces that reflect the importance of details in Roman art and the symbols of leadership of the period.

It is known that artifacts stolen from Boubon Ancient City were not only sent to Europe but also to the United States. Through cooperation with the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, Turkey’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism facilitated the return of several artifacts, including statues of Lucius Verus, Septimius Severus, the Young Emperor, and a Woman in Clothing, as well as two busts attributed to Emperor Caracalla and five heads of important figures from the era, along with a bronze bust of a woman, from the U.S. to Turkey in recent years.

The latest return from Denmark is seen as another significant step in preserving the integrity of Boubon Ancient City’s cultural heritage.

The return process of the Septimius Severus statue head was concluded following the submission of documents and scientific evidence by the Turkish Embassy in Copenhagen and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, leading to the decision of the Glyptotek Museum. Museum Director Gertrud Hvidberg-Hansen stated, “The return of this artifact, obtained through illegal excavations, to its rightful land is an important step in terms of museum principles and ethical values.”

In addition to the Boubon artifacts, it was also decided to return terracotta tablets from the Pisidia region, specifically from Düver.

The statue head of Septimius Severus, stolen almost 60 years ago from Boubon Ancient City, will soon be displayed in Turkey. With this return, the number of artifacts returned to Turkey in 2024 will reach 94, while between 2018 and 2024, a total of 7,898 artifacts have been repatriated, and from 2002 to 2024, a total of 12,213 artifacts have been brought back to Turkey.

Boubon Ancient City

The history of Boubon Ancient City is limited, but over time, it became part of the Balboura region and later entered the Kibyra Tetrapolis. Subsequently, Boubon joined other Tetrapolis cities and became part of Lycia. The remains in Boubon Ancient City date back to the Hellenistic period and include structures from the Roman era. The city features significant ancient structures such as a theater, a temple, an agora, city walls, a gymnasium, and other buildings. A bronze statue found in the city is currently displayed at the Burdur Museum.

TAGS: #travel #Turkey #history #Boubon #ancient #city #Roman #Empire #Septimius #Severus #head #statue #bronze