Ancient Roman Bust Seized from Massachusetts Museum in Looting Probe 

The bust known as “Portrait of a Lady” was acquired in 1966 by the Worcester Art Museum. (Worcester Art Museum)
The bust known as “Portrait of a Lady” was acquired in 1966 by the Worcester Art Museum. (Worcester Art Museum)
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Ancient Roman Bust Seized from Massachusetts Museum in Looting Probe 

The bust known as “Portrait of a Lady” was acquired in 1966 by the Worcester Art Museum. (Worcester Art Museum)
The bust known as “Portrait of a Lady” was acquired in 1966 by the Worcester Art Museum. (Worcester Art Museum)

A bronze bust believed to depict the daughter of an ancient Roman emperor has been seized from an art museum in Massachusetts by New York authorities investigating antiquities stolen from Türkiye.

The seizure is the latest in an ongoing investigation into a smuggling network involving objects looted from Bubon in southwestern Türkiye and trafficked through Manhattan. A spokesperson for Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg did not provide further details of the investigation.

The bust known as “Portrait of a Lady” was acquired in 1966 by the Worcester Art Museum about 40 miles (64 kilometers) west of Boston. The seizure comes weeks after the Manhattan district attorney’s office seized a statue thought to portray the Roman emperor and philosopher Marcus Aurelius from a Cleveland, Ohio, museum.

Worcester Art Museum officials said in a statement that the bust taken from their possession dates from A.D. 160 to 180 and is believed to be a life-sized portrayal of a daughter of Marcus Aurelius or another Roman emperor, Septimius Severus.

Museum officials said they had “limited information” about the bust’s history when they acquired it nearly six decades ago.

“We are very thankful for the new information provided to us,” said Matthias Waschek, the museum’s director. “The ethical standards applicable to museums are much changed since the 1960s, and the Museum is committed to managing its collection consistent with modern ethical standards.”

The bust shows a young woman with a heavy-lidded gaze and hair carefully combed into waves.

Marcus Aurelius ruled as Roman emperor from A.D. 161 to 180 and was a Stoic philosopher whose “Meditations” have been studied over the centuries. Septimius Severus’ reign from A.D. 193 to 211 was marked by his efforts to convert the government into a military monarchy.

Türkiye first made claims about the Marcus Aurelius statue in 2012 when it released a list of nearly two dozen objects in the Cleveland museum’s collection that it said had been looted from Bubon and other locations. Museum officials said at the time that Türkiye had provided no hard evidence of looting.



Saudi Libraries Commission Exhibits Rare Manuscripts at Saudi Cultural Week in Qatar

The commission is offering visitors a unique display of rare manuscripts on significant chapters of the Kingdom's cultural and intellectual heritage.  (SPA)
The commission is offering visitors a unique display of rare manuscripts on significant chapters of the Kingdom's cultural and intellectual heritage. (SPA)
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Saudi Libraries Commission Exhibits Rare Manuscripts at Saudi Cultural Week in Qatar

The commission is offering visitors a unique display of rare manuscripts on significant chapters of the Kingdom's cultural and intellectual heritage.  (SPA)
The commission is offering visitors a unique display of rare manuscripts on significant chapters of the Kingdom's cultural and intellectual heritage. (SPA)

The Saudi Libraries Commission is participating in the Saudi Cultural Week events, organized in Doha by the Saudi Ministry of Culture in collaboration with the Qatari Ministry of Culture.

The event aims to showcase Saudi culture in its various forms and boost international cultural exchange as part of Saudi Vision 2030, reported the Saudi Press Agency on Tuesday.

The commission is offering visitors a unique display of rare manuscripts on significant chapters of the Kingdom's cultural and intellectual heritage.

It is also showcasing its pioneering initiatives that have helped enrich the cultural landscape through various programs and projects aimed at developing the library sector and facilitating access to knowledge.

This participation aligns with the commission's efforts to strengthen the presence of Saudi culture on the international stage, foster cultural ties between Saudi Arabia and Qatar, and provide a new outlet for Gulf and international audiences.

The Saudi Cultural Week serves as an opportunity to strengthen cultural cooperation between the two countries and highlight the role of libraries in preserving cultural heritage. This will help in achieving the goals of the National Strategy for Culture and boosting the Kingdom's position as a global cultural hub.