The Looted and Smuggled Antiquities Office of the Libyan Antiquities Authority has prepared a preliminary list of the archaeological objects that have been looted from Libyan museums and smuggled abroad.

The list included incidents of looting that date back to the World War II including a sandstone statue and a local sculpture representing the goddess Isis, found in Martuba town, in addition to a pharaonic statue made from black basalt stolen from Tolmeita village during the Second World War, which is being shown at Cleveland Museum of Art in Ohio, USA since1991.

Director of the Looted and Smuggled Antiquities Office Khaled Al-Hadar clarified that the list will be translated into English, as being the first language in the world, and will be circulated to international organizations who have an interest in antiquities including ICCROM, INTERPOL, UNESCO, and Italy’s Carabinieri Art Squad.

He added that all Libyan embassies abroad will be also informed of this list, which also included various collections of pottery vessels, statues, sculptures and engravings.