Egypt stops sale of archaeological painting in NY

CAIRO - 5 December 2019: General Supervisor of the Recovered Antiquities Department Shaaban Abdul Gawad revealed that the National Commission for Recovered Antiquities could stop the sale of an important archaeological painting held by a merchant in New York.

The merchant acquired a forged export permit in 1970. The painting will return to Egypt after completing the necessary investigations and procedures.

The National Committee for Recovered Antiquities -under the chairmanship of Minister of Antiquities Khaled el-Anani- held on Dec. 4 a meeting to tackle the main themes to be discussed by the Egyptian archaeological and political delegation with the British side in the meeting of high-level experts.

The high-level experts meeting aims to discuss ways to combat and preserve illegal trafficking of Egyptian antiquities, and is scheduled to be held on Dec. 9 in London, as agreed by Minister Anani and the British minister of culture, art and tourism during their meeting in late October on the sidelines of the opening of the “Treasures of the Golden Pharaoh” exhibition.

It is noteworthy that Egypt recovered last October the coffin of Nedjemankh that was in the possession of the Metropolitan Museum with a forged export permit as well. The coffin is now exhibited in the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization in Fustat.