Egypt, Elsewedy review progress on Ain Sokhna phosphate complex    US employment cost index 3.6% up in year to June 2025    Egypt welcomes Canada, Malta's decision to recognise Palestinian state    Pakistan says successfully concluded 'landmark trade deal' with US    Sterling set for sharpest monthly drop since 2022    Egypt, Brazil sign deal to boost pharmaceutical cooperation    Modon Holding posts AED 2.1bn net profit in H1 2025    Egypt's Electricity Ministry says new power cable for Giza area operational    Egypt's Al-Sisi, Italian defence minister discuss Gaza, security cooperation    Egypt's FM discusses Gaza, Nile dam with US senators    Aid airdrops intensify as famine deepens in Gaza amid mounting international criticism    Egypt exports first high-tech potato seeds to Uzbekistan after opening market    Health minister showcases AI's impact on healthcare at Huawei Cloud Summit    On anti-trafficking day, Egypt's PM calls fight a 'moral and humanitarian duty'    Egypt strengthens healthcare partnerships to enhance maternity, multiple sclerosis, and stroke care    Egypt keeps Gaza aid flowing, total tops 533,000 tons: minister    Indian Embassy to launch cultural festival in Assiut, film fest in Cairo    Egyptian aid convoy heads toward Gaza as humanitarian crisis deepens    Culture minister launches national plan to revive film industry, modernise cinematic assets    I won't trade my identity to please market: Douzi    Sisi sends letter to Nigerian president affirming strategic ties    Two militants killed in foiled plot to revive 'Hasm' operations: Interior ministry    Egypt, Somalia discuss closer environmental cooperation    Egypt's EHA, Huawei discuss enhanced digital health    Foreign, housing ministers discuss Egypt's role in African development push    Egypt reveals heritage e-training portal    Three ancient rock-cut tombs discovered in Aswan    Sisi launches new support initiative for families of war, terrorism victims    Egypt expands e-ticketing to 110 heritage sites, adds self-service kiosks at Saqqara    Egypt's Irrigation Minister urges scientific cooperation to tackle water scarcity    Palm Hills Squash Open debuts with 48 international stars, $250,000 prize pool    On Sport to broadcast Pan Arab Golf Championship for Juniors and Ladies in Egypt    Golf Festival in Cairo to mark Arab Golf Federation's 50th anniversary    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    Paris Olympic gold '24 medals hit record value    A minute of silence for Egyptian sports    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Sale of ancient artefacts in world's top auction halls irks Egypt's archaeologists, officials
UNESCO should prevent auction houses and museums from selling Egypt's priceless artefacts, says minister of antiquities
Published in Daily News Egypt on 26 - 10 - 2016

Ohio's Toledo Museum of Art has begun selling off its Egyptian artefacts, leading to outrage among archaeologists and Egyptian officials.
The museum held two auctions on 19 and 25 October to sell artefacts, among other pieces, at Christie's Auction Hall—a world renowned auction house headquartered in London.
Khaled El-Anany, the minister of antiquities, said that the ministry addressed the director-general of UNESCO and the general secretariat of the International Council of Museums (ICOM) to halt the sale of Egyptian antiquities in auction halls across America.
He explained that some museums across the world are trading Egyptian antiquities rather than preserving them.
El-Anany said that laws in some countries prevent the ministry from recovering Egyptian antiquities that were extracted from Egypt decades and centuries ago, due to a lack of ownership bonds in Egypt that pre-date the modern era.
Bassam El-Shammaa, an Egyptologist and writer, said that it is imperative that the ministry work to prevent the phenomenon of selling Egyptian artefacts in auction halls abroad.
He explained that the situation has exacerbated since the Northampton Museum in Britain displayed a statue of Sekhemkhet-ka for sale at a public auction in order to raise money for development work on the museum in 2012. The statue was sold to an anonymous bidder for ₤16m.
He said Christie's auction on 25 October put 46 Egyptian artefacts on display for sale. The prices of small pieces ranged from $3,000-5,000, while the bigger piece had starting prices of $35,000. He noted that these prices are far too cheap, considering that these antiquities are priceless.
The auction included artefacts that date back to the prehistoric age, even before the construction of the Giza Pyramids or the unification of Upper Egypt and Lower Egypt, and they were being housed in Ohio's Toledo Museum.
El-Shammaa noted that this auction comes after a previous auction held by the hall on 19 October. The hall offered nearly 40 Egyptian archaeological pieces out of 106 pieces assembled from various historical eras and monuments in the world.
He said that the hall allocated five days for visitors to view the pieces and learn the history of each piece as well as information on previous owners since the pieces were extracted from Egypt.
Another auction for artefacts will be held in New York's Sotheby's art and auction house, which is competing with Christie's in London. The auction is scheduled to be held on 15 December.
Sotheby's has prepared for the auction by displaying a statue of Sekhmet—the ancient mythical Egyptian goddess—to attract Egyptian artefact lovers. El-Shammaa noted that Egyptian antiquities are the most expensive and best-selling.
El-Shammaa explained that a solution to this problem would be for Egypt to withdrawal from UNESCO as a start, then resorting to the International Court in the Hague to sue auction houses and museums that sell Egyptian antiquities.
Bringing the case to the International Court would be based on a decree issued by Muhammad Ali on 15 August 1835, which prohibited the exodus of antiquities from Egypt.
Shaaban Abdel Gawad, the general supervisor of the Recovered Antiquities Administration at the Ministry of Antiquities, said that the administration succeeded in recovering 70 artefacts during the first half of 2016, from France, Belgium, and Israel.
Abdel Gawad said that the Recovered Antiquities Administration is following 105 of the most famous and largest archaeological auction houses around the world in order to track the issue of selling Egyptian antiquities.
The ministry is slated to hold an exhibition in January to display the recovered antiquities from 2016.


Clic here to read the story from its source.