Confirmed Missing from Egyptian Museum

February 13, 2011

On Sunday, Feb. 13, 2011, Zahi Hawass, Egypt’s antiquities minister, said that looters stole several artifacts from Cairo’s Egyptian Museum. V&A News reported that “an inventory of the museum’s collection revealed that 18 objects were missing, including a gilded wooden statue of King Tutankhamun being carried by a goddess.  Parts of another gilded wooden statue of Tutankhamun also were missing.”

Earlier this month, Hawass admitted to attempts at theft and damage to about 70 objects but he revised his earlier statements that there were no stolen pieces and added that “the Egyptian army and police would question a group of looters already in custody about the missing artifacts.” Sadly, Hawass no longer considers Egypt’s museums and archaeological treasures to be safe. For the list of stolen artifacts, visit Hawass’ blog.

For earlier reports about the Egypt’s Museum, read Egypt Does not Lose Head and The State of Egyptian Antiquities Today.