The Egyptian Embassy in The Hague has received three artefacts that were illegally smuggled out of Egypt. The items include an ushabti figurine, a fragment of a painted sarcophagus, and a mummy head dating back to the Late Period.
The recovered artefacts include a ceramic ushabti figurine of a deceased named “Abihtames” from the Late Period (26th to 30th Dynasty, 664-332 BC), parts of a wooden sarcophagus with inscriptions depicting the goddess Isis (believed to be from the 26th or 27th Dynasty, 663-504 BC), and an unidentified mummy head believed to be from the Hellenistic period (170-45 BC).
The ushabti and sarcophagus fragments were confiscated by the Dutch Cultural Heritage Inspectorate and the Dutch police following investigations that revealed a lack of documentation and suspicions surrounding their illegal export from Egypt.
The mummy head was returned by a Dutch citizen who inherited it from his family. Recognizing the significance of cultural heritage, he decided to return the artefact to its rightful country. This act was praised by the Egyptian Embassy and Dutch authorities.
The repatriation of these artefacts highlights the Egyptian government’s commitment to recovering smuggled artefacts and preserving its cultural heritage. The Egyptian Ministries of Tourism and Antiquities, Foreign Affairs, and the Public Prosecutor’s Office played a crucial role in this recovery effort, facilitated by strong bilateral cooperation between Egypt and the Netherlands.
Mohamed Ismail Khaled, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, noted that the artefacts were initially discovered at an antique shop in the Netherlands.
“This event is a testament to the unprecedented success of Egyptian-Dutch bilateral relations in combating the illicit trafficking of cultural property and the smuggling of artefacts,” Khaled said, emphasising that cultural heritage belongs to the entire world.
Shaaban Abd El Gawad, Director of the Repatriation of Antiquities Department, provided further details about the recovered pieces.
He described the ushabti as a blue ceramic figurine with inscriptions of the deceased’s titles, the sarcophagus fragment as a piece of decorated wood depicting the protective goddess Isis, and the mummy head as well-preserved with visible teeth and hair.
Since 2014, Egypt has successfully recovered over 30,000 artefacts.
