The security authorities of Cairo International Airport have foiled an attempt to smuggle a collection of antiquities and heritage items, among which were pieces that belonged to Egypt’s royal family, the Muhammad Ali Dynasty which ruled Egypt from 1805 to 1953. The collection was with an Egyptian passenger travelling to Dubai on 25 December 2017.
According to Ahmed al-Rawi, head of the central administration of antiquity at Egyptian ports, the seized collection included a red glass vessel with botanical ornamentation, a depiction of the royal crown of the Alawite Dynasty, and the initial ‘F’ which refers to King Fouad or King Farouq, the two last ruling kings before the 1952 Revolution. The collection also included two balance weights made of wood encased in metal, and bearing the stamp of the Egyptian Authority of Weights and Measures.
Among the seized collection was a number of school and university certificates and official documents in both the Arabic and English languages, which belonged to prominent Egyptian figures; also official 20th century documents belonging to the Finance Ministry and Egyptian Postal Authority, as well as a collection of photographs of some important figures in Egypt in the second half of the 19th century and beginning of the 20th century.
Girgis Mounir, Director-General of antiquity units at Cairo International irport’s terminals 1, 2, and 3, said that, after inspecting the seized collection, the vessel and weights were identified as heritage items, and were handed to the Ministry of Antiquities. The remaining items were handed to the Egyptian National Library and Archives.
Watani International
26 December 2017