Due to COVID-19, Egypt’s Archaeological Models Production Unit currently focuses on local market

CAIRO – 20 October 2020: Executive Director of the Archaeological Models Production Unit at the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities Amr el-Tibi said that the administration is currently working on the local market, given the conditions the world is going through, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to Tibi, the pandemic is responsible for the selling movement outside of Egypt coming to a halt, however, there will be a European cooperation in the coming period.

Tibi added that Archaeological Models Production Unit at the ministry is currently working on the local market to supply to a number of ministries such as the Ministry of Higher Education and Sadat University.

He added that the materials used to produce the replicas are of high grade, which makes the selling process easier.

It is worth noting that a cooperation protocol was signed between the Ministries of Antiquities and Aviation, to allocate a place within the duty-free shops in several airports nationwide, for displaying and selling archaeological reproductions.

Tibi further indicated that the archaeological models that are executed by the Models Unit of the ministry are of higher quality than the pieces that are designed by merchants. It is also documented. 

According to Tibi, the reason for the higher quality of the models produced by the ministry is due to a number of specialists of the highest level of craftsmanship working in the ministry’s unit to manufacture archaeological reproductions.

It is worth noting that the Archaeological Models Unit at the Ministry of Antiquities, under the management of  Amr el-Tibi, its executive director, is working on preparing a comprehensive development plan for the unit's work mechanisms, in order to ensure maximum utilization of the existing technical competencies and the development of the unit's production lines through mechanization to keep pace with the requirements of the local and global market and to meet the increasing demand for Egyptian antiquities.

The unit aims to establish a promising industry according to sound scientific and technical specifications and controls, that contribute effectively to the protection of intellectual property rights, and to achieve a decent economic return from the investment of Egypt’s cultural and civilizational heritage.