Ancient 3,500-year-old statue stolen from Luxor during Arab Spring returned to Egypt
A 3,500-year-old stolen Egyptian sculpture that ended up in the Netherlands has been returned to Egypt. Investigation revealed that the sculpture was likely stolen from an archaeological site in the Luxor region around the Arab Spring (2010-2012).
Caretaker Prime Minister Dick Schoof previously announced that the sculpture would be returned to Egypt. Caretaker Culture Minister Gouke Moes handed it over to the Egyptian ambassador in The Hague on Thursday.
The sculpture consists of a head believed to depict a high-ranking official from the reign of Pharaoh Thutmose III. It is considered part of Egypt’s cultural heritage.
The artifact ended up in the Netherlands in 2022, when it was offered for sale at the Tefaf art fair in Maastricht. Doubts arose about its provenance, and the police launched an investigation.
The police discovered that the artifact had been purchased based on forged provenance documents, the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science reported. The owner, Sycomore Ancient Art, voluntarily relinquished the sculpture to the authorities. It is now returning to its rightful place.
