Egypt recovered 36 Egyptian archaeological artifacts from the United States on Thursday after they were smuggled out illicitly. This achievement underscores the Egyptian state's commitment to protecting its cultural heritage in line with the president's directives. The artifacts were handed over to the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir for restoration and display.
In a move bolstering international efforts against smuggling, Egypt announced the recovery of 36 Egyptian archaeological artifacts from the United States on Thursday. An archaeological committee from the Supreme Council of Antiquities received the pieces for deposit at the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square, where they will undergo restoration and be displayed according to a special exhibition plan.
Shaaban Abdel Gawad, Director-General of the General Department of Recovered Antiquities and Supervisor of the Central Administration of Archaeological Ports at the Supreme Council of Antiquities, stated that the artifacts are divided into three main groups. The first group consists of 11 pieces handed over by the New York District Attorney’s Office, including a mummy mask of a young man from the Roman Era, a vessel shaped like the deity ‘Bes’, and a limestone funerary stela from the Roman Era.
The second group comprises 24 rare manuscripts written in Coptic and Syriac languages, voluntarily returned to the Egyptian Consulate in New York by the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The third group is a single colored plaster panel from the 18th Dynasty era, confiscated by the New York District Attorney’s Office after confirming its illegal smuggling from Egypt.
This recovery stems from fruitful cooperation with U.S. authorities, particularly the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, under the bilateral Memorandum of Understanding between Egypt and the United States on protecting and recovering antiquities. It highlights Egypt's dedication to safeguarding its civilizational identity.