464 Egyptian artefacts seized by police in Fayoum

The Egyptian Tourism and Antiquities Police managed to seize 464 artifacts from illegal antiquities merchants in Fayoum.

Some of the seized Antiquities [Credit: Ministry Press]

According to police reports, two certain cars visited Fayoum city regularly and sold a number of antiquities with the aim to smuggle them abroad.

The police found 266 Ushabtis made from rare blue ceramic, eight wooden faces for a person, 12 statues made from blue ceramic, pottery statues, three pottery pots, 66 fragments from ancient coffins decorated with hieroglyphic inscriptions and a number of plates used in mummifications.

A further 122 Ushabtis were found with the criminals, yet the statement has not clarified the materials they were made of.

Most of the seized artifacts date back to the Ancient Egyptian era.

Fayoum Antiquities checked the seized artifacts and verified their historical importance; confirming that the seized artifacts are antiquities.

Recently, the Egyptian Tourism and Antiquities Police managed to thwart artifacts thefts and smuggles in different regions in Egypt such as Assuit.

Source: Egypt Today [November 11, 2017]