Egypt recovers head of stolen statue of King Ramses II following 3 decades
Date
4/22/2024 8:22:11 AM
(MENAFN) The Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities announced a significant victory in the recovery of a priceless artifact on Sunday, revealing the return of the head of a statue depicting King Ramses II, dating back over 3,400 years. The artifact, which had been stolen and smuggled out of Egypt more than three decades ago, was finally repatriated to its rightful home.
Upon arrival, the Ministry promptly secured the head of the statue in the warehouses of the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. Plans are underway to undertake necessary maintenance and restoration work to ensure its preservation before it is publicly displayed.
The statue's head was originally pilfered from the Temple of Ramesses II situated in the ancient city of Abydos, located in southern Egypt. Although the exact date of the theft remains elusive, Shaaban Abdel Jawad, Director General of the General Administration for the Recovery of Antiquities and Supervisor of the Central Administration for Archaeological Ports, estimated that the crime occurred in the late 1980s or early 1990s.
Efforts to recover the stolen artifact were arduous and spanned several countries. Egyptian authorities first identified the antiquity being offered for sale in a London showroom in 2013 before it subsequently traversed various locations, ultimately landing in Switzerland. Through collaboration with Swiss authorities, Egypt successfully demonstrated its rightful ownership of the piece and its illegal removal from the country. Last year, Switzerland formally handed over the artifact to the Egyptian embassy in Bern, culminating in its recent return to Egypt.
The repatriation of the statue head represents a triumph for Egypt in safeguarding its cultural heritage and combating the illicit trade of antiquities. The meticulous efforts of Egyptian authorities underscore the country's unwavering commitment to preserving its rich historical legacy and ensuring the return of unlawfully removed artifacts to their rightful place within Egypt's cultural landscape.
MENAFN22042024000045015682ID1108123000
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.