19/07/2005 - Australia
has returned to Egyptian authorities several
2500-year-old artefacts at the centre of an
alleged smuggling racket.
The ancient artefacts were discovered in
Melbourne after the Austalian Government agreed
to a request from the Egyptian Government
to help in the global search for the items.
The Australian Federal Police received a
referral from the Attorney-General’s Department
earlier this year and took possession of them
under the Protection of Movable Cultural Heritage
Act 1986.
The Egyptian Government is prosecuting the
alleged perpetrators and the artefacts will
be used as material evidence in the case.
The Minister for the Environment and Heritage,
Senator Ian Campbell, said the items were
funery objects discovered in tombs in the
Memphis necropolis and they dated from the
Late Period of Egyptian history (664 BCE—332
BCE), making them about 2,500 years old.
“Australia is one of the first countries
to return objects associated with this case
to the Egyptian people, sending a clear message
that the Australian Government is committed
to helping stamp out the illegal trade of
the world’s precious movable cultural heritage,”
Senator Campbell said.
“While Egyptian authorities say they cannot
put a commercial value on the artefacts, they
are precious in terms of their cultural value
and they belong with the Egyptian people.
“I am pleased that the Australian Government
has been able to return them to their rightful
owners.”
The artefacts reveal a great deal about ancient
Egyptian attitudes to death and the afterlife
and include several shabtis (small funerary
statuettes), a bronze axe head, a ceramic
bowl and amulets to help the deceased find
their way to the afterlife.
The Protection of Movable Cultural Heritage
Act 1986 regulates the export of cultural
heritage objects from Australia. The Act protects,
for the benefit of the nation, objects which
if exported would significantly diminish Australia’s
cultural heritage.
The Act also includes provisions that allow
the Australian Government to respond to official
requests from foreign governments to return
their nation’s cultural heritage objects that
have been illegally exported.
