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Historic sculptures and additional items have been taken from the National Museum of Syria in the capital, officials say.

The burglary was noticed on the start of the week, when museum workers allegedly found that one of the museum's doors had been broken from the interior.

The multiple stolen pieces were made of marble and traced back to the ancient Roman times, a source told the Associated Press.

Cultural heritage officials said it had initiated an inquiry to determine the "events surrounding the disappearance of a collection of items", and that actions had been taken to improve safeguarding and monitoring systems.

The head of domestic security in the capital area, Security Chief Atkeh, was referenced by the official media as declaring that authorities were examining the robbery, which he said had affected several "archaeological statues and rare collectibles".

He noted that security personnel at the museum and additional people were being interviewed.

The cultural institution, which was established in 1919, contains the most important historical artifacts in the country.

It features historical records dating back to the Bronze Age from Ugarit, where proof of the earliest complete alphabet was found; Greco-Roman period Greco-Roman sculptures from the ancient city, a significant historical locations of the ancient world; and a third century religious building that was constructed at an ancient location.

The museum was compelled to shut in 2012, one year after the start of the internal strife. The majority of the artifacts was transferred and stored at secret locations to ensure their safety.

It partially resumed in 2018 and returned to normal in early this year, four weeks after opposition groups deposed the Assad regime.

All six of nationally recognized sites were harmed or partially destroyed during the civil war.

The IS organization demolished multiple ancient buildings and other structures at the archaeological site, asserting that they were idolatrous. The cultural organization condemned the demolition as a violation.

Numerous cultural items were also lost or stolen from dig sites and cultural institutions.