Anger in Egypt after Pharaoh's gold bracelet stolen from a Cairo museum is melted down

Anger in Egypt after Pharaoh's gold bracelet stolen from a Cairo museum is melted down AP 22 Sep 2025

"Egyptians reacted with outrage this week after officials said that a 3,000-year-old bracelet that had belonged to an ancient pharaoh was stolen from Cairo's famed Egyptian Museum and then melted down for gold. Tourism and Antiquities Minister Sherif Fathy said in televised comments late Saturday that the bracelet was stolen on Sept. 9 while officials at the museum were preparing artifacts for an exhibit in Italy. He blamed "laxity" in implementing procedures at the facility and said that prosecutors were still investigating. The bracelet, containing a lapis lazuli bead, belonged to Pharaoh Amenemope, who reigned about 3,000 years ago. Authorities said it was taken from a restoration lab at the museum and then funneled through a chain of dealers before being melted down. The minister said the lab didn't have security cameras".

The theft and destruction of Pharaoh Amenemope’s 3,000-year-old gold bracelet is both tragic and infuriating. This isn't just a loss of material value — it's the erasure of a piece of Egypt’s irreplaceable cultural heritage. Egyptians — and indeed, anyone who values world heritage — have every right to be outraged. The values of artifacts like this go far beyond their physical components. Melting it down for gold is not just theft; it’s cultural vandalism. Cultural heritage belongs to generations — past, present, and future. Once destroyed, it's gone forever.

That a relic of such historical importance could be stolen from the heart of the Egyptian Museum speaks volumes about the lapses in security and oversight within institutions that are meant to safeguard history.

This must be a turning point. The incident should prompt immediate and comprehensive reforms to Egypt’s museum security protocols. It’s unacceptable that a restoration lab housing priceless antiquities lacked basic surveillance equipment. Accountability must go beyond vague mentions of "laxity." Clear consequences and real structural changes are needed to prevent future losses.