Southeast Asia Information Port (www.dnyxxg.com) – According to Reuters, Dutch caretaker Prime Minister Erik Søren Söhfe stated in Egypt on the 2nd that the Dutch government will return a stone head sculpture dating back approximately 3,500 years to Egypt.
The artifact, reportedly dating from the reign of Pharaoh Thutmose III (1479-1425 BC), depicts the head of a high-ranking official. It is believed that the artifact was stolen from Egypt and illegally exported in 2011.
Søren Söhfe stated that the artifact was exhibited at the 2022 Maastricht Art Fair in the Netherlands, after which an anonymous tip revealed its illegal origin. A joint investigation by Dutch police and the Dutch Cultural Heritage Watch confirmed that the sculpture was indeed illegally exported from Egypt, and the dealer involved voluntarily surrendered the artifact following the investigation.
The Dutch government stated that it expects to hand over the artifact to the Egyptian ambassador to the Netherlands by the end of this year, but a specific date has not yet been determined.
According to Egypt Today, Skhoff attended the opening ceremony of the Grand Egyptian Museum on the 1st and discussed the return of smuggled Egyptian artifacts with Egyptian President Sisi on the 2nd. (End)
