Greece returns Lydian coin hoard to Turkey under UNESCO agreement

On Thursday, a ceremony was held at the Numismatic Museum in Athens where Greece returned 1,055 ancient coins to Turkey. The event was attended by Greek Culture Minister Lina Mendoni and Turkish Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy.

The coins, minted by the Lydians between the 7th and 5th centuries BCE, were discovered and seized by customs officials at the Kipi Evros Customs Office in July 2019 from a Turkish national who attempted to illegally import them, Hurriyet Daily News reported. The coins were found in plastic bottles camouflaged with opaque insulating tape, placed at the bottom of a bag that contained food, and were located in a bus coming from Turkey, according to Proto Thema.

The owner of the coins admitted that unknown individuals approached him and asked him to transport the Lydian coins to Germany for a fee of 1,400 euros, as reported by Proto Thema.

The entire collection of coins is part of a coin "treasure" that was hidden in the late 5th or early 4th century BCE in Asia Minor, iefimerida reported. The coins date from the 7th century BCE to the 5th century BCE.

After the seizure, both Greek and Turkish experts confirmed the illegal trafficking of the coins from Turkey to Greece, SKAI reported.

During the ceremony, Mendoni expressed gratitude for Turkey's support regarding the reunification of the Parthenon sculptures and emphasized the importance of protecting cultural heritage through cooperation. "Respect and protection of cultural heritage constitute national responsibility and global moral commitment. We are all co-responsible for the rescue of our culture and our historical memory," she stated, according to Enikos.

Mendoni emphasized that the protection of cultural heritage "is achieved only through collaboration, mutual help and mutual understanding between peoples and states," and that it constitutes a national duty and global ethical commitment, as reported by SKAI. "We will continue tirelessly to work and cooperate, at bilateral and multilateral levels, to combat antiquities trafficking and the illegal trafficking of cultural goods," she added, Zougla reported.

Ersoy described the return of artifacts from Greece to Turkey as a "very important repatriation," marking the first such occurrence, according to Akşam. "Our two countries must jointly combat illegal trafficking and have close ties," he stated, SKAI reported. He emphasized that "culture and tourism are among the most effective soft power tools that facilitate the development of bilateral and multilateral relations and help nations understand each other, bringing them closer," as reported by Akşam.

Mendoni stated, "For Greece, the repatriation of every cultural asset that has been illegally exported from our territory is a cause of great joy and satisfaction. Greece is among the countries victimized by thefts, looting, and illegal trafficking of their cultural treasures," as reported by Proto Thema. She added, "We firmly believe that all illegally exported antiquities, from any country, must return to their place of origin and to the peoples to whom they belong, as part of their collective identity."

The return of the coins to Turkey is in accordance with the provisions of the UNESCO International Convention of 1970, Proto Thema reported. The return is also in accordance with the "Protocol for the Prevention and Suppression of the Illegal Import, Export, and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property," signed by Greece and Turkey on March 4, 2013, in Istanbul, as reported by iefimerida.

Mendoni thanked Mehmet Nuri Ersoy "for the support that your country steadily provides to my homeland regarding our national demand for the reunification of the Parthenon Sculptures in Athens," Proto Thema reported. Ersoy expressed the hope "with all our heart" that the Parthenon sculptures are reunited, and that this is achieved shortly, as reported by iefimerida. "We are waiting for when we will visit them together, which I hope will be in a short time," he added, according to Euro2day.

An official from the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism stated, "With these latest restitutions, a total of 1,149 artifacts have been repatriated in 2024 alone, 8,953 since 2018, and 13,268 since 2002, returning to the lands where they were created," Hurriyet Daily News reported. "With every artifact returning to its homeland, we continue to embrace our history and cultural heritage," the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism stated, according to Milliyet.

The coins will undergo necessary cleaning and restoration at the Istanbul Restoration and Conservation Center and Regional Laboratory, Hurriyet Daily News reported. The collection will be displayed at the Istanbul Archaeology Museums.

The cooperation between Greece and Turkey in this matter demonstrates a shared commitment to preserving cultural heritage and combating illicit trafficking. The return of the coins marks a significant step in bilateral relations and the protection of historical artifacts.

This article was written in collaboration with generative AI company Alchemiq