Saqqara Model, under investigation

CAIRO – 30 November 2020: Mohamed Youssef, director of the Saqqara Antiquities Area, said that a model entered the area with a normal "entry ticket" permit, and not a ticket or permit to photograph, while wearing an ordinary cloak, which does not raise any doubt within the archaeologists in the region.

She was accompanied by a person, who appeared to be the photographer who took the photographs.

Youssef further stated that when she entered and wandered around the area, she took off the cloak, revealing Pharaonic clothes that appeared in the photos that she uploaded on her personal page on social media.

“The clothes in which the girl appeared in the group of pictures is not appropriate for the Egyptian civilization or the statues of the Egyptian antiquities. It is a contempt for the ancient Egyptian civilization, because it is not appropriate for her to express the ancient Egyptian history in this way”, said Youssef in press statements.

Youssef clarified that Mostafa Waziri, secretary general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, upon learning of the incident, immediately referred the area's workers for investigation, and that the matter is currently under investigation at the Public Prosecution and the Administrative Prosecution. All workers will be summoned during the investigations in addition to the women who took the inappropriate photos.

A group of photos of a fashion model inside the Saqqara antiquities area went viral on social media, which angered many activists. The model took photos in the grandiose area in a way many deemed inappropriate and disrespectful to the Egyptian antiquities.

“The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities is always keen to preserve the history of the ancient Egyptian civilization, and anyone who falls short or disrespect the Egyptian civilization and antiquities will be punished, after the result of the prosecution's investigation of the incident of the photo session is completed”, said Waziri.