The United States announced on Thursday (3) the return to Lebanon of fragments of Roman-era sarcophagi that had been looted from the city of Tyre and recovered following an FBI investigation. The decorative lead pieces were delivered on Wednesday to the Lebanese consulate in New York before being repatriated to the country.
According to Lebanese Culture Minister Ghassan Salame, the fragments were found during illegal excavations and display typical characteristics of the ancient sarcophagus workshops in Tyre. The trade in looted antiquities is a recurring problem in the Middle East, and in 2017 Lebanon had already received the return of three ancient pieces.
Salame highlighted that Tyre is a region specifically rich in destroyed heritage and suffered severe damage during recent Israeli attacks. In July, UNESCO added the city to the World Heritage in Danger list due to deterioration caused by the conflict.




