VMFA returns trafficked 6th-century terracotta fragments to Turkey

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA) has returned 41 ancient polychrome terracotta reliefs to their original home in Düver, Türkiye, after learning that they had been illegally excavated and trafficked.

The VMFA received a claim on Nov. 3 from the Antiquities Trafficking Unit of the Manhattan
District Attorney’s Office about the 41 polychrome terracotta reliefs located within the museum's ancient art collection. These artifacts were originally obtained by the VMFA in the 1970s.

However, following an investigation into the global trafficking of looted or stolen antiquities by the Antiquities Trafficking Unit of the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, it was revealed that they were illegally excavated from a 6th-century B.C. Phrygian temple.

Terracotta wall Plaque. (Photo: VMFA)

Terracotta Relief with Geometric Motif. (Photo: VMFA)

“The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts takes seriously and responds to all restitution claims for works in our collection,” said VMFA’s Director and CEO Alex Nyerges in a press release. “Based on the evidence shown to VMFA, we are convinced that we do not have clear title for these reliefs. We are therefore happy to be working with the Antiquities Trafficking Unit of the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office to return all of the polychrome terracotta fragments in question to Türkiye.”

These artifacts are valued at around $400,000 and they belong to a large series of polychrome terracotta reliefs from the 6th century B.C. Phrygian temple at Düver, located in southwestern Türkiye. The site from which they were taken was illegally excavated between 1962 and 1968, where they were later sold on the international art market.

The VMFA purchased 34 terracotta reliefs in 1978 from the Summa Galleries located in California; the other 6 were gifted by Harlen J. Berk. Later in the year, the Summa Galleries donated another relief, resulting in 41 polychrome terracotta relief fragments being added to the collection at the museum.

According to the VMFA, its research staff were completely compliant with providing proper documents and pictures about the fragments for the investigation.

On Nov. 17, Colonel Matthew Bogdanos, the head of the Antiquities Trafficking Unit of the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, found irrefutable evidence that the pieces were stolen or looted from Türkiye and needed to be repatriated.

“Stolen or looted art has no place in our collection,” said Artistic Director and Chief Curator Dr. Michael Taylor. “We are therefore delighted to return these works and thank Colonel Bogdanos and his team of investigators for alerting VMFA to the presence of these illegally excavated works in our ancient art holdings.”

Colonel Bogdanos has praised the VMFA for its cooperation and quick action in returning these works of art to Türkiye.

For more information about VMFA’s ancient art collection, visit its website.