Citizen Nidal Abdul Qader, from the town of Rankous in the Damascus countryside, handed over approximately 3,200 diverse antiquities to the General Directorate of Antiquities and Museums, after collecting and purchasing most of them with his own funds, in a move reflecting awareness of the importance of safeguarding national heritage and protecting civilizational memory.
The Director of the Museums Affairs Directorate, Ammar Kanaoui, clarified in a statement to SANA on Monday that the collection is significant from both historical and human perspectives, as it includes among its most prominent items four ceramic dolls dating back to the Middle Bronze Age, ceramic pieces from the Roman and Byzantine eras, various types of saddles and ceramic vessels, in addition to a large number of coins and metal tools.
For his part, citizen Nidal Abdul Qader stated that the collection includes pottery, saddles, coins, and others, explaining that his interest in them began as a hobby that gradually turned into a passion, driving him to acquire pieces and form complete collections, as he traveled between several Syrian provinces to obtain them after liberation.
Kanaoui pointed out that the Directorate appreciates initiatives offered by the local community, and that the door of the General Directorate of Antiquities and Museums is open to citizens wishing to hand over antiquities in their possession, providing necessary facilitations to encourage them to take the initiative in surrendering them.
He added that the pieces returned by Abdul Qader will be added to a future display in the "Syria Regains Its Antiquities" pavilion at the Directorate, alongside another group of pieces recovered in recent periods, thereby enabling the public to learn about their historical value and enhancing awareness of the importance of protecting antiquities.
Source: Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA)
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