Glyptoteket returns emperor bust to Turkey

Glyptoteket will hand over a well-preserved bronze head of Roman Emperor Septimius Severus to Turkey on Friday. Investigations revealed the nearly 2,000-year-old bronze portrait was originally excavated and sold illegally. The transfer ceremony will take place in Antalya, Turkey, attended by Turkey’s culture minister, Mehmet Nuri Ersoy and others. Purchased in 1970 from art dealer Robert Hecht, who has been linked to illegal heritage trade, the head is believed to come from the city of Boubon in Turkey, and is part of a larger collection of Roman imperial family bronzes. Turkey has been seeking the return of the artifact since 2023, and the cooperation reflects a strong collaboration between the two nations in preserving heritage and combating illegal trade.