FBI's Art Crime Team returns archaeological artifacts to Lebanon

The FBI has returned three cultural artifacts to representatives of the Lebanese government at a ceremony held in New York.

On behalf of Lebanese Ambassador to the U.S. Nada Hamadeh Moawad, consul general of Lebanon in New York Talal Daher presided over the affair.

The artifacts are lead sarcophagi fragments of the Roman period dated between the 2nd and 3rd centuries A.D. The panels display distinctive features typical to the workshops of Tyre in south Lebanon and have been determined to belong to Lebanese cultural heritage. It is believed that they were stolen from illicit excavations in or around Tyre and were exported outside of Lebanon’s borders.

Lebanon has prohibited unauthorized excavation, sale, and export of antiquities since 1933. Art and cultural property crime -- which includes theft, fraud, looting, and trafficking across state and international lines -- is not unique to Lebanon and leads to significant losses every year.

“Both the United States Government and Government of Lebanon have joined together in the fight against illicit trafficking of cultural property. Today’s repatriation of artifacts is not the first time we have worked together on this issue, as the FBI previously returned a fenestrated ceremonial bronze axe from Byblos in 2018. The coordination and cooperation between our two governments in both law enforcement and cultural heritage will not stop here,” an FBI statement said.

“Protecting cultural property is about preserving the identity and history of communities around the world. Illicit trafficking robs nations of their heritage and fuels criminal networks,” said Assistant Director in Charge James Barnacle of the FBI’s New York Field Office. “The FBI's commitment is unwavering, and we will continue working with partners to ensure cultural treasures remain where they belong.”

“The dialogue between nations is not only political or economic -- it is also deeply human. It is built on mutual understanding, on recognizing the value in each other's stories,” said Lebanon’s consul general Daher. “In returning these panels, we affirm that Lebanon's heritage is part of the world's heritage, and that protecting it is a responsibility we all share.”