Egypt saves stolen ancient statuette from German auction house
An Ancient Egyptian ivory statuette dating back over 2,300 years has been rescued from a German auction house just before it was slated to go on sale, according to Egypt’s Antiquities Ministry.
Government sources say the statuette was stolen from the Elephantine Island Museum in Aswan in 2013 along with several other ancient artifacts, and then smuggled to Europe. The artifact was reportedly discovered at the Aton Gallery of Egyptian Art in the German town of Oberhausen.
The item is currently in the process of being returned from the auction house to Egypt, said sources from the Antiquities Ministry, who hailed the halt of the sale as a “diplomatic victory.”
Measuring just under 11.5 cm tall, the statuette represents a man carrying a deer over his shoulders, according to a statement posted to the official site of the Antiquities Ministry on Sunday. It’s thought to date back to the Late Period, from 664-332 BC, and was unearthed in 2008 by a team of Swiss archaeologists working in Egypt.
A spokesperson from the ministry added that further investigations are underway to salvage another ancient artifact that was stolen from the Aswan museum, which is also now reportedly in Germany. No further details were issued regarding the second item.
أخبار ذات صلة
Looking back to see the present through the Grand Egyptian Museum
The coincidental nature behind the establishment of the Grand Egyptian Museum
Staging a grand opening for the grand museum
In Cairo, sidewalks have been repainted, screens set-up and security measures tightened. People living nearby say fireworks have been test-run in Giza.…
All around the Grand Egyptian Museum
The museum will not be open to visitors until after the three-day celebration
5,200-year-old rock inscriptions discovered in Luxor Governorate
A joint expedition of archaeologists from Yale University and the Royal Museums of Art and History was able to excavate several panels of rock…
Your support is the only way to ensure independent, progressive journalism survives.
You have a right to access accurate information, be stimulated by innovative and nuanced reporting, and be moved by compelling storytelling. Subscribe now to become part of the growing community of members who help us maintain our editorial independence.
Join us