In Photos: New Zealand museums hand over mummified remains to Egypt

Nevine El-Aref , Saturday 25 Nov 2023

A collection of mummified human remains that were handed over to the Egyptian embassy in New Zealand earlier this month arrived safely in their home country.

These remains were on display at the Whanganui Regional Museum and Southland Museum in New Zealand, which have now returned them to Egypt.

Mostafa Waziri, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities expressed his appreciation for the decision of both museums. in the interest of global heritage preservation.

Waziri commended the Egyptian Ministries of Tourism and Antiquities, Foreign Affairs, and the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs for their cooperation in returning these artefacts to their homeland.

Shaban Abdel-Gawad, Director-General of the General Administration for Antiquities Repatriation and the Supervisor of the Central Administration for Archaeological Units explains that the recovered items consist of body parts of ancient Egyptian human mummies, a mummified hawk, fabric fragments, and cartonnage.

They are now being held at the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir to undergo restoration.

Abdel-Gawad added, on behalf of his government body, that museums worldwide should return Egyptian artefacts, especially human remains, as per the ethical guidelines of the International Council of Museums (ICOM).