By Ramazan Kaya
KAYSERI, Turkey
A 13th-century painting of the crucifixion of Jesus seized by Turkish anti-smuggling police has been put under the protection of the Turkish state, authorities said Wednesday.
A museum in Kayseri, the central Turkish province where police found the painting during a raid on a suspected antiquities smuggler, put the artwork under its protection.
A delegation from Turkey’s Cultural and Natural Heritage Preservation Board is expected to release a report on the painting’s provenance after a thorough investigation.
The painting's value has reportedly been estimated at 5 million Turkish liras (around $1 million).
The suspect arrested on Tuesday over the incident is reportedly an international trader.
On Tuesday, Turkish forces seized the painting, measuring 200 x 140 centimeters, showing the crucified Jesus with three bystanders, and including Latin and Hebrew writing.
