- Title: Egypt recieves rare sarcophagus lid recovered from the U.S.
- Date: 2nd January 2023
- Summary: CAIRO, EGYPT (JANUARY 2, 2022) (REUTERS) ***WARNING: CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** GREEN SARCOPHAGUS LID RECOVRED FROM UNITED STATES ON DISPLAY AT HEADQUARTERS OF EGYPTIAN MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS ARCHAEOLOGISTS EXAMINING SARCOPHAGUS LID VARIOUS OF SARCOPHAGUS LID VARIOUS OF SECRETARY-GENERAL OF EGYPT'S SUPREME COUNCIL OF ANTIQUITIES, MOSTAFA WAZIRI, AND OFFICIALS EXAMINING SARCOPHAGUS LID EGYPTIAN MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, SAMEH SHOUKRY, SPEAKING DURING NEWS CONFERENCE SARCOPHAGUS LID (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) EGYPTIAN MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, SAMEH SHOUKRY, SAYING: "Recovering this green sarcophagus and bringing it back to the country is a new step in the success of the foreign ministry to protect Egypt's national heritage. It is a reflection of the spirit of cooperation between Egypt and the United States in the field of protecting cultural products and recovering smuggled artefacts. This cooperation was supported by two memorandums of understanding in 2016 and 2021 to fight the illegal trade in cultural products." SHOUKRY AND WAZIRI LOOKING AT SARCOPHAGUS LID WAZIRI EXAMINING SARCOPHAGUS LID PART OF SARCOPHAGUS LID (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) SECRETARY-GENERAL OF EGYPT'S SUPREME COUNCIL OF ANTIQUITIES, MOSTAFA WAZIRI, SAYING: "If we look at the sarcophagus, there is a lid and a base. Tomb thieves discovered that the lid is easier to move and transport. It seems that only the lid was taken and the base is still there at the discreet location where it was first discovered. It is named the green sarcophagus due to this colour, which is very unique and very sensitive for ancient Egyptians." PART OF SARCOPHAGUS LID (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) SECRETARY-GENERAL OF EGYPT'S SUPREME COUNCIL OF ANTIQUITIES, MOSTAFA WAZIRI, SAYING: (CAMERA MOVING TO SEE CRACK IN MIDDLE OF SOUNDBITE): "A big part of the sarcophagus, unfortunately, is in bad shape somehow as a result of being smuggled illegally. We plan to take it to the Egyptian museum in Tahrir to conduct something like first aid and meticulous restoration, which is very important." WAZIRI EXAMINING SARCOPHAGUS LID JOURNALISTS SURROUNDING SARCOPHAGUS LID EGYPTIAN FLAG
- Embargoed: 16th January 2023 13:05
- Keywords: Antiquities Egypt Sarcophagus Smuggled relics United States
- Location: CAIRO, EGYPT
- City: CAIRO, EGYPT
- Country: Egypt
- Topics: Arts/Culture/Entertainment,Middle East
- Reuters ID: LVA001989202012023RP1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: EDITORS PLEASE NOTE: EDIT CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY
Egypt announced the recovery of an ancient Egyptian sarcophagus lid from the United States on Monday (January 2).
The lid is painted in green and believed to belong to a prestigious state official in ancient Egypt's late period and weights nearly 500 kilograms, Egyptian officials said.
The recovery of the prized relic is part of memorandum of understandings signed between the governments of the United States and Egypt in 2016 and 2021 against the illegal trade of smuggled cultural products, Egyptian foreign minister, Sameh Shoukry, said in a news conference.
"Recovering this green sarcophagus and bringing it back to the country is a new step in the success of the foreign ministry to protect Egypt's national heritage. It is a reflection of the spirit of cooperation between Egypt and the United States in the field of protecting cultural products and recovering smuggled artefacts," Shoukry said.
Egypt has recovered nearly 29,300 smuggled artefacts over the past ten years, Shoukry added.
(Production: Sherif Fahmy, Mai Shams El-Din) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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