When French President Emmanuel Macron visited Damascus in early July, he pledged to support the country’s rebuilding efforts in the wake of former President Basher al-Assad’s overthrow 18 months prior. While the main focus of the visit was economic—Macron discussed reviving Syria’s banking sector and returning more than $50 million that had been confiscated from the Assad family—the diplomatic gesture also involved the return of 23 artifacts that had been held in France since their initial loan for an exhibition at the Arab World Institute in Paris 15 years ago.