Egypt recovers 7 ancient artefacts from US
Nevine El-Aref , Monday 5 Jan 2026
Egypt has successfully recovered seven ancient artefacts from the United States, marking another milestone in its ongoing efforts to reclaim cultural property illegally smuggled from the country.
Egypt Recovers Seven artifacts from the United States
The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities carried out the recovery in coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Emigration and Egyptian Expatriates' Affairs sector, the Egyptian embassy in Washington, and relevant national authorities, with the support and cooperation of US authorities.
The repatriation follows sustained coordination between Egyptian and American institutions under the bilateral memorandum of understanding signed between the two countries to safeguard cultural property and combat its illicit trafficking.
Shaaban Abdel Gawad, director-general of the Repatriation of Antiquities Department and supervisor of the Antiquities Units in Ports, said the recovered artefacts come from several separate cases and cover different periods of ancient Egyptian history.
The items include two mummified fish and a falcon head from the Ptolemaic period, seized by US customs in June 2017.
Three other artefacts confiscated in 2018 were later confirmed, following investigations, to have been illegally smuggled into the United States: a bronze amulet of the deity Set, a basalt heart-shaped scarab from the Late Period, and a finely carved human face believed to date to the early New Kingdom.
Also returned were a wooden ushabti figurine coated with painted gesso, dating to the Late Period, and a stone statue head voluntarily handed over to the Egyptian embassy in Washington by an American citizen who wished to see it returned to its country of origin.
In a statement, the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities reaffirmed its commitment to working with national and international partners to recover looted Egyptian antiquities.
The ministry emphasized that protecting and reclaiming these artefacts is a national responsibility and an integral part of Egypt's cultural identity, ensuring their preservation for future generations.
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