Visitors view the Parthenon Marbles, also known as the Elgin Marbles, at the British Museum in London on January 9, 2023. (PHOTO / AFP)

LONDON - The British Museum launched a public hotline on Tuesday asking for help to locate some 2,000 missing artefacts, revealing they were mostly ancient Greek and Roman gems and jewellery.

The museum said last month it had sacked a staff member over stolen, missing or damaged items in a crisis that highlighted internal failings and led to its director quitting days later.

The museum, which is facing demands from several governments for the repatriation of historical treasures, said it was working with London's police and was "actively monitoring" the art market

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Home to treasures such as the Rosetta Stone and the Parthenon marbles, the British Museum houses one of the world's most visited collections and has since tightened its security.

Sixty items had now been returned, with a further 300 identified and due to be handed back imminently, the museum said in a statement.

"If you are concerned that you may be, or have been, in possession of items from the British Museum, or if you have any other information that may help us, please contact us," said a page on its website advertising a dedicated email address.

A visitor looks at the Karmak, a plater cast from 1830 -1849, also know as "A New Enemy" displayed for the exhibition "Hieroglyphs: unlocking ancient Egypt" at the British museum in London, on Oct 11, 2022. (PHOTO / AFP)

The page said it was only disclosing the types of artefacts stolen and heeding expert advice not to share full details.

ALSO READ: British Museum sacks employee over missing and stolen items

It said the stolen items included gold rings, ear-rings and other pieces of jewellery dating back to ancient Greek and Roman periods as well as small objects such as gems that were often set in rings.

Visitors view the Parthenon Marbles, also known as the Elgin Marbles, at the British Museum in London on Jan 9, 2023. (PHOTO / AFP)

The museum, which is facing demands from several governments for the repatriation of historical treasures to their home countries, said it was working with London's police, "actively monitoring" the art market, and had registered the missing items on the Art Loss Register database.