Tag: pharaoh

Looted Ancient Egyptian Artifacts are Returning Home

On By Dr. Y.In Great Civilizations2 Comments
Coffin of Shesepamuntayesher, mummified 2600 years ago (National Geographic)
Coffin of Shesepamuntayesher, mummified 2600 years ago (Source: National Geographic)

It is true: some ancient Egyptian artifacts smuggled into the US are returning home. For many years, people looted the graves of pharaohs in Egypt and smuggled their finds by express shipping to the US (and other countries – particularly in Europe). Excerpt of an article in National Geographic reads:

“Some 2,600 years ago, an Egyptian woman named Shesepamuntayesher was mummified and laid to rest in an elaborate three-part coffin to ensure the continuation of her life force and the beginning of an eternal afterlife.

Stylized face of Shesepamuntayesher depicted on her coffin (Source: National Geographic)
Stylized face of Shesepamuntayesher depicted on her coffin (Source: National Geographic)

Shesepamuntayesher’s afterlife has unfortunately included a trip to Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates, and an ignominious stop in a garage in Brooklyn, New York. On Wednesday, thanks to a five-year investigation by U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the empty sarcophagus that once cradled her mummy is being returned to Egypt, where it will be housed in the Grand Egyptian Museum in Cairo.”

The damages done to Egyptian culture, and many African cultures, by art smugglers and looters cannot be quantified. It is important to fight to preserve these ancient cultures which tell us so much more about some of the world’s greatest civilizations, and about humanity in general. So it feels good to see art going back to their land of origin: like the looted art from Benin Kingdom which was returned to its people, or the great Obelisk of Axum, which was stolen by the Italians in 1935, and later returned after countless demands from the Ethiopian government in 2005. Please do check out the rest of the article on National Geographic.

Pharaonic Princess’ Tomb found in Egypt

On By Dr. Y.In Great CivilizationsLeave a comment
Three statues recently discovered in the tomb of the princess (Source: artdaily.org)
Three statues recently discovered in the tomb of the princess (Source: artdaily.org)

Archaeologists have unearthed the 4,500 year old tomb of a pharaonic princess, just south of Cairo.  This discovery may lead to the discovery of other ancient tombs from before 2,500BC.  Princess Shert Nebti‘s burial site is surrounded by the tombs of four high officials from the Fifth Dynasty dating to around 2,500 BC in the Abusir complex near the famed step pyramid of Saqqara.  Inscriptions on the four limestone pillars of the Princess’ tomb indicate that she is the daughter of King Men Salbo.  Only her tomb has been unearthed; her father, the king, or her mother, are yet to be found.  The antechamber to the princess’ tomb includes four limestone columns and hieroglyphic inscriptions.  The current excavation has also unearthed an antechamber containing the sarcophagi of the four officials and statues of men, women, and a child.