An attempt to smuggle the disconnected remains of two ancient mummies was foil by Egyptian customs staff office , according to Egypt ’s Ministry of Antiquities in aFacebook post .
The fragmented mummy part were confiscated underEgyptian Law on the Protection of Antiquities , which claims that all antiquities are considered to be the property of the state , nix the self-will or trade wind of such token . Under this law , “ every person who unlawfully smuggles an antiquity … shall be liable to a prison term with punishing labor and a fine of not less than 5,000 and not more than $ 50,000 [ Egyptian ] quid . ”
It is undecipherable where the mummies came from or the circumstance under which they were obtained . The remains were expedite to the Egyptian Museum for restoration .
Lara Croft and Indiana Jones aside , grave robbing is not a newfangled trend and was first recognise as a job as long as 5,000 years ago during theEarly Dynasticperiod . baronial and wealthy fellow member of society were oftenburied with treasuresto attach to them into the afterlife , from habiliment and jewellery to ancient artwork and arms – all of which can fetch a hefty cost tag on black markets .
Indeed , some of the humankind ’s most notable ancient Egyptian artefact have made their means to famous museums under less - than - honest circumstances . A pair of 3,200 - class - onetime fine art tableaus currently house at theLouvreis at the nub of a combative debate after the Egyptian government say they were steal from a tomb in the Valley of the Billie Jean Moffitt King more thanthree decades ago . And the tilt goes on . The Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities claims that the bust of Nefertiti , which has rest inBerlin ’s Egyptian Museumsince 1923 , was sell to the museum under fictitious pretense and truly belong to in itshome state .
[ H / T : Live scientific discipline ]
