CULTURAL NEWS

Recovery of Gargon Mask, stresses Culture sector's role in preserving archaeological heritage

ANNABA (Algeria)- Minister of Culture and Arts Malika Bendouda said Tuesday that the recovery of the Mask of Gorgon, stolen in 1996 and found in Tunisia, is a "reward for the efforts made by the Culture sector to preserve Algeria's diverse archaeological heritage."

"The mask of Gorgon, a white marble archaeological piece dating from Roman times, weighing 350 kg and recovered by Algeria in 2014, is at the National Museum of Antiquities in Algiers as it was handed over a few days ago to the Hippone Museum in Annaba," the minister of Culture said during her visit to the museum, accompanied by Ismail Mesbah, the deputy minister for Hospital Reform.

Highlighting the efforts made by the Algerian security and customs services, as part of the fight against smuggling and theft of archaeological objects, Bendouda said the recovery of this archaeological piece will allow "revitalizing the archaeological site of Hippone in terms of tourism and culture."

This archaeological masterpiece was discovered in 1930 at the archaeological site of Hippone (the Roman city), it was recalled.