Egyptian bid for return of 2 ancient paintings
Egypt, Local, 7/19/2005

Egypt has requested the Museum of Archaeological Institute and Art History of the Catholic University of Leuven in Belgium and the FitzWilliam Museum at Cambridge University, UK, to return two paintings, which were stolen 40 years ago.

Minister of Culture Farouk Hosni said that the Supreme Council for Antiquities (SCA) had located the two paintings through a secret report filed by a foreign archaeologist.

The paintings, Hosni said, were stolen from two tombs in a cemetery, which dates back to the 4th Dynasty, in the Pyramids area.

In 1965, Abdel Moneim Abu Bakr unearthed several tombs in the Giza plateau. At the time, no one reported the theft of the paintings to the Interpol.

SCA Secretary-General, Zahi Hawass said that the absence of any official records to prove that the paintings were stolen was an obstacle to having them returned.

Hawass added that efforts for the return of the paintings have been made through proper legal channels. "If the two museums refuse to return the paintings, the SCA will suspend their excavation missions in Egypt," he warned.

Previous Stories:
  Mrs Mubarak marks 15th anniversary of Reading for All program   (7/18/2005)
  Egyptian chemist has no link to al-Qaeda, Interior Minister   (7/16/2005)
  Egyptian citizen being interrogated about London explosions   (7/15/2005)

Please add a link on your webiste pointing to ArabicNews.com and bookmark ArabicNews.com & subscribe to our daily email news bulletin.

Search