Egypt artefacts auctioned in London over the objection of the national government. These objects were stolen and placed on the market for sale., a photo by Pan-African News Wire File Photos on Flickr.
Stolen Egyptian artefacts rescued from Christie's auction
Nevine El-Aref, Thursday 2 May 2013
Ahram Online
Egypt successfully withdrew six ancient Egyptian artefacts from Christie’s auction list in London
Coincidence always play a role in new discoveries; today it plays a role in withdrawing six ancient Egyptian objects from Christie’s auction list in London.
The story began three days ago when Director General of the Repatriation of Antiquities Department Osama El-Nahas discovered that the famous Christie's auction house in London was to auction six ancient Egyptian items that were stolen and smuggled out of Egypt. The objects include a New Kingdom red granite engraving depicting a Nubian face discovered in 2000 by the German European mission in King Amenhotep II temple in Wadi Al-Hittan on Luxor’s west bank. The other five artefacts are a collection of New Kingdom religious stelae and statues of different sizes.
Regretfully, said El-Nahas, Egypt's Ministry of State for Antiquities (MSA) does not have documentation proving Egypt’s ownership but "we asked for its return, since they are ancient Egyptian objects stolen from illegal excavations. Egypt" he continued, "owns objects similar to those on auction."
However, El-Nahas tells Ahram Online that the person who claimed ownership of the five objects did not have any documents that prove his ownership. Therefore, according to UNESCO regulations and Egypt’s antiquities law, they must be returned to Egypt.
Christie's withdrew the objects from the auction and is to hand them over to the concerned British authorities to take all legal procedures to return back the six objects to Egypt.
"Chance played its role," El-Nahas asserts.
http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/70572.aspx
No comments:
Post a Comment