In a press release on Wednesday the Federal Office of Culture in Switzerland announced that in line with its obligations under the 1970 UNESCO Convention Switzerland has returned 26 archaeological objects to Egypt. Switzerland and Egypt signed a bilateral agreement on the import and return of cultural property in 2011. The portable antiquities were handed to the Egyptian ambassador in Bern ('
Switzerland returns ancient treasures toEgypt ' Swiss Info Nov 21st 2018)
The [object]s include a statuette of the god Anubis, 12 funerary figurines known as uchabti and various amulets representing, for example, the eye of Horus (Egyptian symbol of protection, royal power, good health) and the djed (pillar-like symbol in Egyptian hieroglyphs representing stability). They date from between the 3rd millennium BC and the 4th century BC.
The treasures had been confiscated in the context of two criminal cases in cantons Lucerne and Valais, according to the press release.
In a press release on Wednesday the Federal Office of Culture in Switzerland announced that in line with its obligations under the 1970 UNESCO Convention Switzerland has returned 26 archaeological objects to Egypt. Switzerland and Egypt signed a bilateral agreement on the import and return of cultural property in 2011. The portable antiquities were handed to the Egyptian ambassador in Bern ('Switzerland returns ancient treasures toEgypt ' Swiss Info Nov 21st 2018)
These pieces are obvious fakes!
ReplyDeleteYes, I think what has happened is the local newspaper did not get official police photos in time for the publication so they used stock photos as decoration. This is not infrequent. it is not infrequent either for a zealous customs official to seize something that turns out to be a fake however. But how else are we to stop antiquities trafficking if dealers and collectors continue to ignore basic principles?
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