In a significant victory for the preservation of cultural heritage, Egypt has successfully recovered 21 ancient artifacts that were illegally taken from the country and found in Australia. The items arrived back in Cairo today, marking not just a restoration of history, but also a testament to strong international cooperation.
The repatriation was orchestrated by the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, through the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA), and achieved with the help of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and their Australian counterparts.
Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Sherif Fathi said this accomplishment highlights Egypt’s unwavering commitment to protecting its historical legacy.
“This recovery speaks volumes about the dedication of all state institutions in safeguarding Egypt’s unique cultural treasures,” Minister Fathy said.
He extended his gratitude to the many organisations involved, noting the “fruitful cooperation” between ministries as well as the support from Egyptian communities abroad.
He added that this recovery comes during the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Egypt and Australia.
Minister Fathi noted this happy coincidence, pointing out that the milestone reinforces the depth of partnership and coordination between the two nations, especially in combating the illicit trafficking of antiquities.
Secretary-General of the SCA, Mohamed Ismail Khaled, said the returned artifacts date back to various ancient Egyptian eras. The recovered items include small statues, a piece of a wooden coffin carved into the shape of a human hand, a wooden snake’s head, ancient pottery, an ivory spindle, a Wedjat eye amulet, and even a piece of Coptic-era textile.
Many of the pieces had surfaced in a prominent Australian auction house, but once it was discovered that they lacked proper ownership papers, the auction house, working closely with the Egyptian Embassy in Canberra, voluntarily facilitated their return.
Director-General of the Department of Antiquities Repatriation, Shaaban Abdel Gawad, said that several artifacts were handed over to the Egyptian Consulate General in Sydney, among them a fragment of an archaeological stele originally discovered by the Italian mission.
This stele had been broken into four pieces, with some sections lost during the 1995 inventory process. Three pieces were recovered from Switzerland and returned to Egypt in 2017, while the fourth piece was most recently handed over by the Macury Museum in Australia after it was verified to be part of the same stele.
The artifacts were delivered to the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir, where they will undergo restoration and eventually be displayed as part of a special temporary exhibition.
