Artefact Mining in Alexandria

'35 Greco-Roman artifacts seized in illicit digging attempt in Alexandria' Cairo Post Jul. 08, 2015

A total of 35 illegally excavated artifacts were seized Tuesday in [...] Alexandria, head of Alexandria investigation department Sherif Ismaiel told Youm7. Dating back to Egypt’s Greco-Roman era (332B.C-395A.D,) the artifacts were found in a ground level apartment in Alexandria’s district of al-Wardyan, Ismaile said, adding that the artifacts were originally excavated from a 15-meter hole underneath the apartment  by three “fugitive” tomb raiders. The artifacts include clay lamps, glass bottles and a large number of clay pots. When the police raided the house, digging tools along with the artifacts were found while the suspects were absent, according to Ismaiel.

It is not difficult to guess that the authorities got information from neighbours disturbed by the amount of earth they saw being carted away from under the foundations and worried about collapse...