An Emperor Returns

In the spring of 2023, the Glyptotek received a formal request – a so-called repatriation claim – from the Turkish Embassy in Denmark concerning the return of an ancient bronze portrait of the Roman Emperor Septimius Severus (145-211 CE). The request was prompted by an assumption that the portrait originated from Boubon in Türkiye, where it was illicitly excavated and traded in the 1960s. The Glyptotek’s recent research indicated that the bronze portrait likely originated from this site and was illegally exported from Türkiye.

During the course of the museum’s research, a group of 48 architectural terracottas acquired in 1974 came to the museum’s attention. These pieces proved to originate from Düver, another archaeological site in Türkiye where they were illegally excavated and exported.

As research has provided evidence that the artefacts from Boubon and Düver were obtained in an illegal and unethical manner as recently as the 1970s, the museum has decided to return them to Türkiye. This has now been approved by the Danish authorities.

Before the 49 artefacts are permanently repatriated to Türkiye, the Glyptotek is presenting a farewell exhibition of the portrait of Septimius Severus and a selection of the architectural terracottas from Düver.