Egyptian authorities have announced the return of an ancient statue, which is more than 3,000 years old, to its homeland after being stolen and smuggled out of the country over three decades ago.
The statue portrays the head of the ancient Egyptian King Ramses II, one of Egypt’s most influential rulers.
According to the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, the statue is a fragment of a larger sculpture depicting King Ramses II seated alongside several Egyptian gods.
This artefact, dating back over 3,400 years, was originally taken from the Ramses II temple in the ancient city of Abydos.
In 2013, Egyptian authorities identified the statue when it was put up for sale at a gallery in London. It then traveled through multiple countries before reaching Switzerland, where it was recovered in collaboration with Swiss authorities.
The antiquities ministry asserted Egypt’s rightful ownership of the piece, highlighting that it had been unlawfully removed from the country.
The statue will undergo restoration and preservation at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo.