Opening the Children’s Exhibit at the Cairo Museum

Originally published February 12, 2010 | Zahi Hawass' Blog | by Dr. Hawass | The recent opening of the Children's Exhibit at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo has resulted in many great things, according to Zahi Hawass. He is very pleased that children of Egypt and around the world have an ancient Egyptian exhibit they can relate to, one that features famous Egyptian icons in LEGO form. There is also a workshop for children that teaches them about the Egyptian heritage and has graduated a thousand students. Read his blog post for a more detailed look at Dr. Hawass' reactions to this permanent exhibit.

Egypt Tightens Penalties for Relics Robbers, Smugglers

Originally published February 2, 2010 | Agence France Presse and Google | by Riad Abu Awad | An excerpt:

Parliament amended Egypt's antiquities law on Monday to bring in stiffer punishments for the theft and smuggling of relics while granting patent rights to the country's antiquities council.

The amendment requires Egyptians who have antiquities to report their possessions to the Supreme Council of Antiquities, headed by Zahi Hawass, in six months. The sale of antiquities is still banned.

"Parliament agreed on article eight that forbids trade in antiquities but allows possession of antiquities with some individuals, on condition that they cannot use them to benefit others, or to damage and neglect them," Hawass said.

Antiquities Protection Draft Law Continues to Ignite Debates at PA

Originally published January 20, 2010 | Zawya | by Safaa Abdoun | Here's an excerpt of one of my favorite topics - illicit trade and private owning of antiquities:

Protection of Egypt's antiquities was the subject of heated debate at the People's Assembly as steel mogul and senior National Democratic Party MP Ahmed Ezz and Minister of Culture Farouk Hosni argued over private ownership of antiquities.

The point of contention was Article 8, which bans the trade, or any other form of disposal, of antiquities unless there is a written consent from the Supreme Council for Antiquities (SCA). It also states that the council has the right to take the antiquity from the owner and offer a reasonable compensation.

[...]

Minster of State for Legal Affairs and Parliamentary Councils, Mofid Shehab, proposed to add a clause to the articles which states that anyone in possession of an antiquity has to notify the council within a year of the law coming into force.

Parliament Speaker Ahmed Fathi Sorour said that the crime of owning an antiquity is only punishable if the owner knows that it is an antiquity and doesn't report it, and he postponed the discussion of this article until the entire law is discussed.

Egypt Takes it Back

Originally published October 10, 2009 | iAfrica News | by Ines Bel Aiba

Egypt Restores Eight Artifacts From Switzerland

Originally published June 26, 2009 | Egypt State Information Service

Bought by a Swiss from a dealer in 2005 who discovered they were stolen (in 2002), he willingly hands them over to Egypt.

Death of a Village Outside Luxor that Lived Off Ancient Tombs

Originally published June 13, 2009 | Times Online | by James Hider

The Egyptian Government sacrifices the wellbeing of villagers, some who had made a living from selling stolen treasures from the tombs on which they built their houses, to preserve these ancient sacred places.

The exchange in some cases doesn't seem equal.

Eton College Returns Suspect Antiquities to Egypt

Originally published May 27, 2009 | The Art Newspaper | by Martin Bailey

Without surviving documentary evidence to prove legal export from Egypt of Eton College's Web-Davey donation of Egyptian antiquities, the college handed over the 450+ items to Egypt rather than risk scandal and immorality, which had been commonplace in the early days of Egyptology and archaeology.