Additional Coverage:
Cairo Museum Missing Priceless Pharaoh’s Bracelet
A 3,000-year-old gold bracelet belonging to an ancient Egyptian pharaoh has vanished from the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, prompting a nationwide search. The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities confirmed the bracelet, adorned with a lapis lazuli bead, went missing from the museum’s restoration lab. Authorities have launched an investigation and alerted border crossings across the country to prevent any attempts to smuggle the artifact out of Egypt.
The missing bracelet belonged to King Amenemope, a pharaoh from the 21st Dynasty who reigned during the Third Intermediate Period (c. 1076 to 723 BC). Originally buried in a modest tomb, Amenemope’s remains were later moved to lie beside Psusennes I, a more powerful king of the same era.
The museum has clarified that images circulating online depict a similar bracelet currently on display and not the missing artifact. Experts suggest several possible scenarios: the bracelet could be sold on the black market, melted down for its gold, or added to a private collection. There’s also a chance it could be returned, as similar incidents have occurred in the past, particularly during periods of political upheaval.
The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities has initiated a full inventory of the restoration lab’s artifacts and convened a specialist committee to review procedures. This incident highlights the ongoing struggle against the illicit trade of ancient Egyptian artifacts. Just last year, authorities apprehended two individuals attempting to loot artifacts from the seabed near Alexandria.