Belgium returns 2,000-year-old sarcophagus to Egypt
Prosecutors said the artefact — along with a piece of an ancient wooden beard — was presented to the Egyptian ambassador at a ceremony in the Belgian capital.
'After 10 years of investigation and proceedings, it is a true act of justice to return to its country of origin an item that was misappropriated from its heritage,' said Julien Moinil, the Brussels public prosecutor.
The artefacts were seized by Belgian police in 2015 after Interpol issued a notice following a request from a court in Egypt, prosecutors said.
They were housed in the meantime at the Royal Museum of Art and History in Brussels.
A statement said that the wooden sarcophagus, which dates back to the Ptolemaic period between the 4th and 3rd centuries BC, 'undoubtedly belonged to a member of Egyptian high society.'
'The choice of materials and the meticulous execution bear witness to exceptional craftsmanship,' it said.
It added that hieroglyphics on the sarcophagus made it possible to identify the former occupant as a man called Pa-di-Hor-pa-khered and that he was portrayed as having transformed into Osiris, god of the underworld.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Al Arabiya
5 days ago
- Al Arabiya
Uci objects to former Armstrong manager Bruyneel's presence at Tour de France
The International Cycling Union has objected to the presence of Johan Bruyneel, Lance Armstrong's former team manager, in staff areas of the Tour de France. The UCI said Tuesday it had asked race organizers whether they had given Bruyneel accreditation to appear at the Tour's start village before Stage 12 in Auch last week when he took part in a TV program for the Flemish-language Belgian channel VRT1. Bruyneel is banned for life from taking part in any activity related to cycling, the UCI said in a statement, noting the Belgian national's sanction by the Court of Arbitration for Sport for anti-doping rules violations when he worked with the US Postal Service Pro Cycling Team and the Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team. Bruyneel was initially banned for 10 years by the US Anti-Doping Agency in 2014 for his role in doping programs that helped Armstrong to seven Tour de France titles between 1999-05 and provided other riders with illegal performance boosts, but that sanction was extended to a lifetime ban by CAS in 2018 after an appeal by the World Anti-Doping Agency. While he is free to attend a cycling event registered on the UCI International Calendar – such as the Tour de France – as a regular spectator, he is strictly prohibited from participating in the event in any role or capacity or from accessing areas that are closed to the public, the UCI said after Stage 16. This includes in particular areas of the Tour de France that require accreditation. The governing body said it had contacted Amaury Sport Organisation, the Tour de France organizer, to ask whether Bruyneel was granted an official accreditation to understand how this could have happened and to ensure that no further accreditation will be issued to him. It said it will take all appropriate measures. In 2014, the US Anti-Doping Agency said Bruyneel, a former rider and team manager, was at the apex of a conspiracy to commit widespread doping on the (US Postal Service) and Discovery Channel teams spanning many years and many riders. Bruyneel claimed he, Armstrong, and others were made scapegoats for an era when doping was a fact of life in cycling. 'I do not dispute that there are certain elements of my career that I wish had been different,' Bruyneel said at the time. 'However, a very small minority of us has been used as scapegoats for an entire generation.'
Asharq Al-Awsat
6 days ago
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Egypt: ‘Volatile Borders' Continue to Pose Terror Threats
A preemptive security operation recently carried out by Egypt's Interior Ministry has highlighted growing concerns over the country's volatile borders, which security sources say are being exploited by armed groups to stage attempted 'hostile operations' inside Egypt. The ministry announced on Sunday that it had foiled a planned terrorist attack by the outlawed Hasm movement, an armed wing of the banned Muslim Brotherhood. According to the statement, one of the group's operatives, trained in advanced military tactics abroad, attempted to infiltrate Egypt illegally to carry out sabotage activities. A security source revealed to Asharq Al-Awsat that the suspect, who was killed in a raid along with other militants, had previously trained in Libya and had also resided in Sudan. 'He crossed into Egypt illegally before planning the attack,' the source said. The Interior Ministry said it had received intelligence indicating that Hasm's leadership, currently operating from Türkiye, was preparing to revive the group's militant activities, targeting economic and security installations across the country. This information follows a video posted online two weeks ago, allegedly by Hasm, in which masked gunmen are shown conducting live-fire drills in a desert environment, accompanied by a written statement threatening new attacks. Security officials say parts of the video were compiled from old footage, but some clips showed recent training sessions in Libya, prompting intensified surveillance and tracking efforts. The ministry stated that the raid on the militant hideout was met with heavy gunfire from the suspects, leading to a firefight in which the terrorists were killed. Tragically, a civilian passerby was also killed, and a police officer was injured while attempting to rescue the wounded man. Former Interior Ministry spokesperson Gen. Hany Abdel Latif praised the operation as a 'significant success,' noting Egypt's sustained security dominance. However, he cautioned that 'this does not mean terrorism has been eradicated. It remains a threat, both here and globally.' Abdel Latif pointed to Egypt's 'volatile borders', particularly with Libya, Sudan, and Gaza, as persistent vulnerabilities. 'These frontiers provide opportunities for extremists to infiltrate and plot attacks,' he said. He warned that the Hasm movement - despite being weakened – continues to have active operatives and ideological remnants capable of regrouping. 'We must remain vigilant. The threat is ongoing, and no warning should be underestimated,' he underlined.
Al Arabiya
20-07-2025
- Al Arabiya
Two suspected militants belonging to Hasm movement killed by Egyptian forces in shootout
Egyptian police said they killed two suspected militants in a shootout Sunday during a raid on their hideout in Cairo's twin city of Giza. The Interior Ministry said the suspected militants belonged to the Hasm movement, which is affiliated with the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood. Hasm is designed as a terrorist group by the United States. A bystander also was killed and an officer wounded in the exchange of fire between the militants and security forces in Giza's densely populated neighborhood of Bolaq el-Dakrour, the ministry said in a statement. According to the ministry, the militants were planning to carry out attacks in Egypt. Security forces in recent years have crushed an extremist insurgency in the Sinai Peninsula, which at times spilled over into other parts of the country. With The Associated Press
