After the civil war turmoil ended archaeologists returned to Ptolemais in Libya, an ancient Roman trading port. New discoveries were made at the site, including a hoard of silver and bronze coins and a vast villa covered with elaborate mosaics.
Geneva Investigations Bureau confiscated nine artefacts in Switzerland, including three sculptures from Libya, Syria and Yemen. Among the finds is a sculpture for Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love and beauty.
Excavations off Tel Dor, on the Mediterranean Sea led to discovery of Roman inscription stone mentioning the province of Judea and the name of a previously unknown Roman governor, ruling shortly before the Bar-Kochba Revolt.
In Iraqi, Syria and Libya, ISIS has systematically destroyed more than 30 major historic churches, mosques and tombs – some of which date as far back as the seventh century.