Belgian authorities have returned a 2,000-year-old sarcophagus to Egypt, which was confiscated by police in Brussels a decade ago. The report comes from AFP, citing the Brussels prosecutor's office.
The handover ceremony took place in the Belgian capital, where the artifact and a fragment of a wooden beard were officially presented to the Egyptian ambassador.
"After ten years of investigations and legal proceedings, we are repatriating an important cultural object that was illegally taken from its homeland," stated Julien Moinil, head of the Brussels prosecutor's office.
The sarcophagus was seized by Belgian police in 2015 following an Interpol request from an Egyptian court. Temporarily, the artifact was housed in the Royal Museums of Art and History in Brussels.
Experts say the sarcophagus dates back to the Ptolemaic era, between the 4th and 3rd centuries BC, and belonged to someone from the upper echelon of Egyptian society.
"The choice of materials and meticulous craftsmanship reflect a high level of artisanal skill," noted a statement from the museum.
Hieroglyphs preserved on the sarcophagus surface have revealed the deceased's name as Pa-di-Hor-pa-khered, who was depicted in the guise of Osiris, the god of the afterlife.
This repatriation is part of an international effort to return historical artifacts illegally removed from their countries of origin. In recent years, Egypt has actively collaborated with European nations to restore its cultural heritage.
The Ptolemaic period (305–30 BC) is known for the blending of Greek and Egyptian cultures. Sarcophagi from this time often feature highly personalized designs, underscoring the status of the deceased.
In May, Egypt retrieved 21 artifacts, including a funeral statuette and a Horus-eye amulet, which had been illicitly taken to Australia.
Zhenya Myl'nikova
