Egypt
Last years discovery of six objects of ancient origin believed smuggled out of Egypt has met with an anti-climatic ending. The pieces were discovered when a Briton, Neil Kingsbury took the pieces to Christie's auction house to sell them giving an explanation that they belonged to an uncle who brought the pieces to England after WWII.
It was then noticed that one of the pieces was a red granite fragment of a Nubian prisoner from a statue of a seated kings throne. A curator at the British museum, Marcel Maree however spotted the piece and recognized it from having been discovered at the mortuary temple of Amenhotep III at Thebes.
A clear case of theft from that archaeological site and of smuggling antiquities out of Egypt but more than this a collection of some importance. Mr. Kingsbury was arrested and charged and after a nine month trial has been convicted for his part in the theft and smuggling and because of his co operation was given a lenient sentence of L550 in fines.
Somehow the operation appears to be worth the risk, especially had it not been for that piece of granite the pieces would likely have brought in many thousands of pounds. A very lucky man for the ending would have been very different and likely very unpleasant for Mr. Kingsbury had he been caught with the material in Egypt!
Photo: (MPAA)
Further Reading:
Fragments from Christie's
Who's Collection?
- Egypt To Receive Four Stolen Artifacts From The Uk
Al Masry Al Youm (Mohamed Azouz) Four antiques from the time of King Amnehotep III will be returned to Egypt by the UK within days, said Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities Mohamed Abdel Maksoud in a statement on Saturday. They...
- Parts Of Amenhotep Iii’s Double Statue Uncovered In Luxor
drhawass.com Press release. With photograph of 2 fragments. Minister of Culture, Farouk Hosny announced today that six missing pieces from the colossal double statue of the 18th Dynasty King Amenhotep III and his wife Queen Tiye, have been discovered...
- Alleged Egyptian Antiquities Smuggler Apprehended
Monsters and Critics A Lebanese antiquities dealer was arrested in Bulgaria after being charged with smuggling stolen ancient Egyptian artifacts, Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA) said on Thursday. 'Ali Abu Taam was accused of smuggling...
- Two Egyptians Rewarded For Turning In Antiquities
Trend News Egypt's top archaeologist said Tuesday that two Egyptian citizens were rewarded for turning in two pieces of antiquities they found while each was redecorating his house in the northern Menoufiya governorate. "The Egyptian Ministry of...
- Fragments From Christie's
This article on six fragments of ancient Egyptian stonework which were placed for auction at Christie's and found by the auction house to have been recently stolen from Egypt is very interesting. One of the pieces is referred in the article...
Egypt
A Slap on the Wrist
Last years discovery of six objects of ancient origin believed smuggled out of Egypt has met with an anti-climatic ending. The pieces were discovered when a Briton, Neil Kingsbury took the pieces to Christie's auction house to sell them giving an explanation that they belonged to an uncle who brought the pieces to England after WWII.
It was then noticed that one of the pieces was a red granite fragment of a Nubian prisoner from a statue of a seated kings throne. A curator at the British museum, Marcel Maree however spotted the piece and recognized it from having been discovered at the mortuary temple of Amenhotep III at Thebes.
A clear case of theft from that archaeological site and of smuggling antiquities out of Egypt but more than this a collection of some importance. Mr. Kingsbury was arrested and charged and after a nine month trial has been convicted for his part in the theft and smuggling and because of his co operation was given a lenient sentence of L550 in fines.
Somehow the operation appears to be worth the risk, especially had it not been for that piece of granite the pieces would likely have brought in many thousands of pounds. A very lucky man for the ending would have been very different and likely very unpleasant for Mr. Kingsbury had he been caught with the material in Egypt!
Photo: (MPAA)
Further Reading:
Fragments from Christie's
Who's Collection?
- Egypt To Receive Four Stolen Artifacts From The Uk
Al Masry Al Youm (Mohamed Azouz) Four antiques from the time of King Amnehotep III will be returned to Egypt by the UK within days, said Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities Mohamed Abdel Maksoud in a statement on Saturday. They...
- Parts Of Amenhotep Iii’s Double Statue Uncovered In Luxor
drhawass.com Press release. With photograph of 2 fragments. Minister of Culture, Farouk Hosny announced today that six missing pieces from the colossal double statue of the 18th Dynasty King Amenhotep III and his wife Queen Tiye, have been discovered...
- Alleged Egyptian Antiquities Smuggler Apprehended
Monsters and Critics A Lebanese antiquities dealer was arrested in Bulgaria after being charged with smuggling stolen ancient Egyptian artifacts, Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA) said on Thursday. 'Ali Abu Taam was accused of smuggling...
- Two Egyptians Rewarded For Turning In Antiquities
Trend News Egypt's top archaeologist said Tuesday that two Egyptian citizens were rewarded for turning in two pieces of antiquities they found while each was redecorating his house in the northern Menoufiya governorate. "The Egyptian Ministry of...
- Fragments From Christie's
This article on six fragments of ancient Egyptian stonework which were placed for auction at Christie's and found by the auction house to have been recently stolen from Egypt is very interesting. One of the pieces is referred in the article...