Türkiye has repatriated an ancient statue believed to depict Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius from the United States as part of efforts to recover antiquities illegally removed from the country, the government announced.

"It was a long struggle. We were right, we were determined, we were patient, and we won," Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy said on Saturday.

"We brought the 'Philosopher Emperor' Marcus Aurelius back to the land where he belongs," he added.

The bronze statue, smuggled from the ancient city of Boubon, now the province of Burdur in southwest Türkiye, in the 1960s, was returned to Türkiye after 65 years, according to Turkish officials.

This unique artefact, once exhibited in the US, was repatriated to Türkiye based on scientific analyses, archival documents and witness statements, added the minister.

‘Historical achievement’

"Through the combined power of diplomacy, law, and science, the process we conducted with the New York Manhattan District Attorney's Office and the US Homeland Security Investigations Unit is more than just a repatriation; it is a historical achievement," Ersoy said.

"Marcus Aurelius's return to our country is a concrete result of our years-long pursuit of justice."

The headless statue had been on display at the Cleveland Museum of Art from April to July, before its return to Türkiye.

Ersoy said Türkiye was determined to protect all its cultural heritage that had been smuggled out.

"We will soon present the Philosopher Emperor to the people of (Türkiye's capital) Ankara in a surprise exhibition," he announced.