Egypt has recovered four ancient artefacts from the United States as part of its ongoing efforts to reclaim antiquities held abroad, the ministries of tourism and antiquities and foreign affairs announced on Friday.
The recovery followed an initiative by the family of an American citizen from Texas who had kept the items in his private collection. After his death, the family expressed its wish to return the pieces to Egypt “in recognition of their historical and cultural value,” the ministries said.
Marlin Michel, an international legal expert authorised by the American family, coordinated with Egyptian authorities to complete the procedures for restitution.
The items have now arrived in Cairo, where they were received by a specialised committee from the Supreme Council of Antiquities and transferred to the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square for examination, documentation and restoration.
Among the most significant objects returned is a granite sphinx head wearing the royal nemes headdress adorned with a cobra. Dating to the 18th Dynasty of the New Kingdom, it is believed to represent Queen Hatshepsut or King Thutmose III.
The other artefacts include a bronze hippopotamus figurine with a distinctive green patina from the 12th Dynasty, a bronze double statue of a king wearing the white crown standing beside the falcon‑headed god Horus from the 26th Dynasty, and a bronze statue of the crocodile god Sobek from the Late Period.
Tourism and Antiquities Minister Sherif Fathy thanked the family for what he called a noble initiative, describing the return of the pieces as a positive model of cultural cooperation. He said the move reflects growing global awareness of the importance of preserving cultural heritage and returning it to its country of origin.
The ministries noted that in April Egypt had successfully recovered 13 other artefacts from the United States that had been trafficked out of the country, including vessels used for oils, perfumes, cosmetics, and a statue of the goddess Isis in the form of Aphrodite.
