According to Radio Slovenia journalist Milan Trobič, a number of sources confirmed that the statues belong to the Sumerian civilisation, whose territory sprawled from Syria to Iraq and Iran. Police found the artifacts in one of the rooms that housed refugees. No criminal report was filed because the items were found rather than seized.
The authenticity of the statues is now being verified, and experts are trying to determine their age. According to Trobič, the refugee carrying those statues may have planned to sell them on the black market in order to pay for his or her journey. However, the money could also be used to finance other activities.
Military operations in the Middle East have caused irreparable damage to ancient monuments. Many of them were destroyed - or stolen and then sold on the black market. The issue was discussed at an Association for Research into Crimes against Art symposium recently held in London. The participants talked about “the use and abuse of art and antiquities by terrorist groups, including ISIS” in places like Palmyra. However, experts have also warned against spreading misinformation, since ancient artifacts from the Middle East have been available on the black market for a long time.
Ancient artifacts can save locals from certain hell
According to Art Newspaper, speakers at the London symposium also talked about the damage inflicted to the Turkish-Syrian border region, stressing that artifacts as well as pieces of monumental art have been smuggled out of that region. According to Mike Giglio (Buzzfeed), policing the border is difficult; moreover, even border police are often involved in black market activities. Giglio warned against pillorying people who dig for such objects, claiming they do so out of desperation and in order to survive.
International collectors are the main culprits
Speakers at the London symposium stressed that it is the “powerful international players” - rather than the impoverished local population - who profit from this illicit trade. Former Italian minister of culture and former mayor of Rome Francesco Rutelli underscored that international dealers should be blamed for the illicit trade.