Authorities suspect that a valuable ancient Egyptian artifact, dating back thousands of years, was stolen from a museum and later sold for a meager sum of under £3,000 after being melted down, according to police reports.
The missing bracelet, believed to have been worn by the Pharaoh Amenemope, disappeared during restoration work at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, officials stated. The artifact, estimated to originate from approximately 1,000 BC, was allegedly stolen and subsequently melted down, as disclosed by Egypt’s interior ministry.
Reportedly, a restoration specialist removed the bracelet from a secure location nine days before and then engaged with an acquaintance who was a jeweler. The individual purportedly sold the invaluable artifact to a goldsmith for £2,750, as indicated by the ministry.
Subsequently, the jeweler offloaded the ancient bracelet to a gold foundry worker for £2,900, who allegedly proceeded to melt it down along with other items for creating jewelry, officials claimed.
In an effort to apprehend the culprits before the artifact could be smuggled out of Egypt, images of the antique bracelet were circulated at airports, ports, and border checkpoints nationwide.
According to Egypt’s interior ministry, four individuals have been arrested in connection with the theft and have purportedly confessed to their involvement, with the proceeds from the sale being confiscated by the government.
Egypt’s tourism and antiquities ministry announced that immediate action was taken upon the disappearance of the bracelet, with law enforcement being promptly informed of the incident.
Media reports suggest that the museum discovered the missing item while preparing to send numerous pieces to Rome for an upcoming exhibition. Legal proceedings are expected against the detained individuals, as confirmed by the ministry.
The stolen bracelet, a gold band adorned with spherical lapis lazuli beads, a prized gem in ancient Egypt, was cherished by Pharaoh Amenemope, who reigned from 993 to 984 BC. His tomb was unearthed by French Egyptologists in 1940.
The Egyptian Museum, housing a vast collection of over 170,000 artifacts, stands as the oldest archaeological museum in the Middle East.
In a separate incident in 2013, a priceless 3,000-year-old statue of Tutankhamun’s sister was stolen from an Egyptian museum. The unique limestone carving, known as the Daughter of the Pharaoh Akhenaten, was among the treasures looted from the Mallawi museum.
Crafted in the 14th century BC, this exquisite statue, the centerpiece of the museum, was intended for display in a new museum honoring the lineage of Akhenaten, the father of Tutankhamun.
Archaeologist Monica Hanna remarked at the time, “I believe the looters