Four ancient Egyptian artifacts that were illegally smuggled to Italy in 2022 have found their way home. The artifacts were handed over to the Egyptian Embassy in Rome in 2022, and the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities in Egypt received them from the foreign ministry on Monday, May 8, 2023.
The repatriated artifacts include a part of a coffin lid carved in wood and decorated with rows of hieroglyphic text from the Late Period that was recovered in 2017; a ceramic vase and a part of a statuette depicting a female figure from the Graeco-Roman period recovered in 2018; and a 2.5cm tall Djed pillar recovered from Turin Museum in 2022.
Mostafa Waziry, secretary-general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA), said he was “grateful for the fruitful collaboration between the Egyptian and Italian authorities.”
“Egypt has the plan to restore its historical and archaeological heritage by combating smuggling endeavors and through agreements against the illegal transfer of artifacts,” explained Shaaban Abdel-Gawad, Supervisor of the Antiquities Repatriation Department at the SCA.
