Egypt restores parts of dismembered mummies

CAIRO – 4 January 2018: The Repatriation Department of the Ministry of Antiquities announced that Egypt restored three parts of different dismembered ancient Egyptian mummies after U.S investigators confiscated the contraband. The parts include a skull, and two hands, according to a press statement released by the Ministry of Antiquities.

In Manhattan, U.S. police managed to prevent an American dealer from selling the mentioned mummified parts, according to a statement by the Ministry of Antiquities.

Shaa’ban Abdel Gawad, the director of the Repatriation Department, stated that the parts were stolen and smuggled illegally to the U.S. 90 years ago.


One of the dismembered hands – Photo Courtesy: Repatriation Department/Ministry of Antiquities official Facebook page

“In 1927, an American tourist bought those parts from a number of workers after doing illegal excavation works at an archaeological site located in Valley of Kings, Luxor city,” he added.

Egypt managed to restore the mummified parts after successful cooperation between the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and U.S. Law Enforcement.

Prominent author and historian Bassam el-Shamaa’ told Egypt Today, “Egyptians should stop selling and smuggling Egypt's heritage.”

In addition, he calls for the prevention of putting Egyptian mummies up for auctions such as the Heritage Auction.

Shamaa’ stated, “It is against all human rights to sell dismembered parts of human bodies even if they are mummies.”


One of the dismembered hands – Photo Courtesy: Repatriation Department/ Ministry of Antiquities official Facebook page

He also stressed, “The returned dismembered parts should be kept within their mummies' cases in peace and serenity.”

Finally, Shamaa’ praised the efforts exerted by the Ministry of Antiquities’ Repatriation Department in 2018, stressing that the Repatriation Department was also successful in 2017.