Sunday, October 11, 2009

Egypt, Demanding Artifacts’ Return, Cuts Ties With the Louvre

Egypt has cut ties with the Louvre museum in France because of stolen artifacts. Because of this decision, no archeological teams supported by the Louvre may dig in Egypt, and a lecture that was to be given by a former curator of the Louvre has been canceled. Louvre officials in France say that they are willing to return the artifacts as soon as a special committee approves of the decision.

The artifacts are archeological reliefs that were stolen from the walls of a tomb near Luxor, by thieves, says the head of the Egyptian antiquities department. However, the Louvre believed that the artifacts were acquired in good faith when they received them in 2000 and 2003. According to Egypt, there are four stolen artifacts, however, the Louvre believes there are five.

In Egypt, the recovering of stolen artifacts has become a priority of the antiquities department.

Read more here.

Posted by: Jessica Bilstein

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