The Egyptian government says an ancient sarcophagus that was featured in the Houston Museums of Natural science, USA, has been returned to Egypt after the US government determined it was looted years ago.
The repatriation of stolen artifacts was part of the Egypt government’s effort to halt the trafficking of its stolen artifacts.
In 2021, the Egyptian government repatriated 5,300 stolen antiques across the world.
The handover came after the manhattan district attorney’s office determined the sarcophagus was looted and smuggled via Germany into the United States in 2008.
The sarcophagus is approximately three meters (9.5 feet) tall. The sarcophagus was handed over in the ceremony, and Egypt’s foreign minister Sameh Shoukry and the country’s Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Ahmed Issa were also in attendance at the ceremony.