Egypt Recovers 13 Ancient Artifacts from UK, Germany

Egypt has successfully recovered 13 ancient artifacts smuggled to the United Kingdom and Germany as part of its ongoing efforts to protect and repatriate its cultural heritage. These artifacts, spanning various periods of ancient Egyptian history including the New Kingdom and the 22nd to 26th Dynasties, include a mummy skull and hand, an ankh amulet, a New Kingdom limestone funerary stela, faience vessels, a bronze crown fragment from a statue of the god Osiris, a beaded funerary mask, and several funerary amulets. The recovery was coordinated by Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Ministry of State for Emigration and Egyptian Expatriates’ Affairs, in collaboration with British and German authorities. The London Metropolitan Police seized the artifacts in the UK after confirming they were smuggled through an international trafficking network, while Hamburg authorities in Germany voluntarily returned items after verifying their illegal export from Egypt. The artifacts have been placed in the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir for conservation and will be exhibited in a special display. Egyptian officials emphasized this recovery reflects the country’s strong commitment to safeguarding its unique civilizational heritage and combating illicit trafficking of cultural property.