EGYPT: Egypt's antiquities authorities restore a section of a temple wall in Luxor after a 15-year-old Chinese tourist is exposed as having vandalised the ancient artwork

Record ID: 863583

  • Title: EGYPT: Egypt's antiquities authorities restore a section of a temple wall in Luxor after a 15-year-old Chinese tourist is exposed as having vandalised the ancient artwork
  • Date: 27th May 2013
  • Summary: LUXOR, EGYPT (MAY 27, 2013) (ORIGINALLY 4:3) (REUTERS) TOURISTS WALKING INTO TEMPLE VARIOUS OF REMAINS OF GRAFFITI ON TEMPLE WALL GROUP OF TOURISTS VARIOUS OF GRAFFITI ON TEMPLE WALL ANTIQUITIES PROFESSIONAL REMOVING GRAFFITI WITH LIQUID TOURISTS WALKING OUT OF TEMPLE
  • Embargoed: 11th June 2013 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Egypt
  • City:
  • Country: Egypt
  • Topics: Crime,Arts,History,People
  • Reuters ID: LVADB0ESOEKMBK90VX11NJCDMGJJ
  • Aspect Ratio:
  • Story Text: A 3,500-year-old Egyptian artwork in Luxor was being restored on Monday (May 27) after a 15-year-old Chinese tourist scratched his name into it.
    The boy who was visiting the Temple of Luxor with his parents had graffitied his name followed by "was here" in Mandarin on a tablet of Alexander the Great located inside the temple.
    The vandalism sparked internet outrage in China after a microblogger, who had visited the temple recently, wrote about it online. Media outlets reported that internet users identified the teenager, releasing his personal details including his age and the school he attended.
    The young boy's parents were quoted on various news outlets as having apologised to the Egyptian people and angered Chinese citizens. They added their son had defaced the artwork a few years ago.
    Dr. Mansour Briek, the general supervisor of Luxor artefacts stated that the graffiti was superficial and had not affected the walls. The graffiti was fully removed and the wall restored.
    Luxor is home to a collection of thousand-year-old temples and artefacts that attract audiences from around the world.
    The General Manager of Luxor Antiquities, Sultan Mohamed said that in order to avoid future incidents, tour guides must pay closer attention to tourists as well as deliver clear guidelines to visitors.
    Archaeologists requested Egypt's antiquities be surrounded by glass barriers and asked for a security personnel to patrol the ancient sites.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2013. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register