Netherlands to Return 3,500-Year-Old Sculpture to Egypt
The Netherlands will return a 3,500-year-old bust of a high-ranking official from the dynasty of Pharaoh Thutmose III to Egypt before the end of the year, following its discovery being offered for sale and subsequent investigation into its illegal origins.
Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof announced the decision today, during a meeting with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, a day after attending the opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum in Giza. The sculpture was confiscated in 2022 after Dutch authorities received an anonymous tip regarding its illicit removal from Egypt. According to a government statement, the art show trader “voluntarily renounced the sculpture” after police determined it had been obtained through looting and unlawfully exported.
This repatriation marks a significant step in Egypt’s ongoing efforts to reclaim its cultural heritage, a cause that has gained momentum with the opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum. The museum, a $1 billion project decades in the making, is expected to significantly boost Egypt’s tourism industry and its economy. “It is a great day for Egypt and for humanity,” said Nevine El-Aref, media adviser to the Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, during Saturday’s opening ceremony.
The bust will be handed over to the Egyptian ambassador to the Netherlands by the end of this year, officials stated. The return of looted artifacts is a growing international trend, reflecting a shift towards greater respect for cultural property and national ownership, as outlined by UNESCO’s efforts to combat illicit trafficking.
Egyptian officials expressed gratitude for the Netherlands’ cooperation and anticipate further collaborations to recover and preserve Egypt’s rich archaeological treasures.
