- Title: Egytian Museum showcases artefacts saved from smuggling attempts
- Date: 25th October 2016
- Summary: CAIRO, EGYPT (OCTOBER 24, 2016) (REUTERS) **** WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY **** EXTERIOR OF EGYPTIAN MUSEUM FLAGS FLYING ABOVE MUSEUM EGYPTIAN MINISTER OF ANTIQUITIES, KHALED AL-ANANI, CUTTING RIBBON FOR TEMPORARY EXHIBITION INSIDE MUSEUM EXTERIOR OF EXHIBIT HALL SIGN READING (Arabic and English): 'THE FIRST TEMPORARY EXHIBITION ON SEIZED ANTIQUITIES AT EGYPTIAN PORTS (1986-2016)' MEDIA GATHERING AROUND ARTEFACTS ON DISPLAY INSIDE EXHIBITION HALL VARIOUS OF ARTEFACTS ON DISPLAY FROM EGYPTIAN PHARAONIC ERA (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) EGYPTIAN MINISTER OF ANTIQUITIES, KHALED AL-ANANI, SAYING: "I started working on this exhibition when I was still the manager of the museum, and it has taken months of hard work because most of these pieces were used as evidence in smuggling cases, and there was a lot of paperwork to be completed. Therefore, the goal of this exhibition is to show the world that we do our best to take good care of our artefacts, and not just the antiquities department is involved, there are around 12 or 13 other ministries and entities involved." VARIOUS OF JOURNALISTS GATHERING AROUND PHARAONIC ARTEFACT PHARAONIC ARTEFACT IN GLASS CASING VARIOUS OF BABY COT OF FORMER KING FAROUK OF EGYPT (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) EGYPTIAN MINISTER OF ANTIQUITIES, KHALED AL-ANANI, SAYING: "You can see more than 400 pieces in the exhibit today, but this is a mere fraction of the thousands more (artefacts intercepted). In 2015 alone, the department intercepted 3,000 artefacts. In 2014, 2,700 pieces were intercepted. So we're talking about each year between 2,000 or 3,000 pieces being saved, and the department has been operating for 30 years. So I would like to say that just the amount of smuggling attempts that were stopped is something to be proud of." EXHIBITION HALL VARIOUS OF ARTEFACTS FROM EGYPT'S ISLAMIC ERA IN GLASS CASING VARIOUS OF COPTIC ARTEFACTS ON DISPLAY VARIOUS OF STATUE BELONGING TO THE GREEK-ROMAN ERA ON DISPLAY EGYPTIAN MUSEUM ENTRANCE STATUES IN MUSEUM ENTRANCE
- Embargoed: 9th November 2016 14:20
- Keywords: Egypt antiquities artefacts culture history heritage Cairo Egyptian Museum
- Location: CAIRO, EGYPT
- City: CAIRO, EGYPT
- Country: Egypt
- Topics: Arts/Culture/Entertainment
- Reuters ID: LVA00155I6R11
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Around 300 pieces of artefact are now on display at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, having been intercepted in anti-smuggling operations over the years.
The pieces are part of a temporary exhibit marking the anniversary of the establishment of the Antiquities Ministry's anti-smuggling department.
The department, which was first launched in the 1980s, works with authorities at Egypt's main ports to stop smuggling attempts through the country's borders.
"I started working on this exhibition when I was still the manager of the museum, and it has taken months of hard work because most of these pieces were used as evidence in smuggling cases, and there was a lot of paperwork to be completed. Therefore, the goal of this exhibition is to show the world that we do our best to take good care of our artefacts, and not just the antiquities department is involved, there are around 12 or 13 other ministries and entities involved," said Egyptian Minister of Antiquities, Khaled al-Anani.
The artefacts include pieces from Egypt's pharaonic, Greek-Roman, and Islamic eras, which are just some of the thousands of items that have been intercepted from smugglers over the last three decades.
"You can see more than 400 pieces in the exhibit today, but this is a mere fraction of the thousands more (artefacts intercepted). In 2015 alone, the department intercepted 3,000 artefacts. In 2014, 2,700 pieces were intercepted. So we're talking about each year between 2,000 or 3,000 pieces being saved, and the department has been operating for 30 years. So I would like to say that just the amount of smuggling attempts that were stopped is something to be proud of," said al-Anani.
The success in anti-smuggling effort is a small comfort to a country in dire economic state.
Tourism, a mainstay of the economy, has been hit hard since the 2011 revolution that overthrew veteran ruler Hosni Mubarak, with many of Egypt's renowned historical sites, from the pyramids at Giza to the Valley of the Kings in Luxor, suffering a decline in foreign visitors.
Al-Anani has said that Egypt cannot afford to keep its museums open let alone search for ancient buried treasures because of the economic crisis.
His ministry is meant to be self-sufficient and not supposed to receive funds from the state budget. In 2010 the ministry made 1.3 billion Egyptian pounds ($146.40 million) a year; in 2015 income was down to 275 million pounds. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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