A stolen stone head from the time of the Pharaohs will be handed back to Egypt soon, Prime Minister Schoof announced today during a meeting with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al Sisi. The sculpture was illegally exported from Egypt, later entered the international art market, and eventually was intercepted at the TEFAF Maastricht fair in the Netherlands. The Netherlands is actively committed to combating the trade in stolen cultural goods. The Inspectorate expects to hand over the head later this year to the Egyptian Ambassador to the Netherlands.
Egypt's stone sculpture
Looted Heritage
The sculpture in question is approximately 3,500 years old and represents a high official from the era of Pharaoh Thutmose III. The head was offered for sale in 2022 at TEFAF, a fair for fine art, antiques and design. Following an anonymous tip about the object’s illicit provenance, the dealer voluntarily relinquished the sculpture. Dutch police and the Inspectorate carried out an investigation into the head’s origin and determined it was obtained by looting and exported unlawfully.
Protecting Cultural Heritage
The sculpture holds major importance to Egypt’s identity. The Netherlands is working both nationally and internationally to ensure that cultural heritage is returned to the country to which it rightfully belongs. This commitment is in part based on the UNESCO 1970 Convention, which aims to prevent the illegal export of cultural property and ensure that illegally exported heritage is returned.
Return of the sculpture
The exact date for the return of the sculpture is not yet known, but Prime Minister Schoof has assured Egypt it will occur in the near term. He is in Egypt on a two-day visit, attending the official opening of the new Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM). He also met with his Belgian and Luxembourg counterparts and Egyptian President al-Sisi to discuss the broad bilateral relationship — including cultural matters.