The Netherlands has announced plans to return a 3,500-year-old Egyptian sculpture believed to have been stolen and illegally exported from Egypt during the unrest of the Arab Spring.
According to Dutch authorities, the stone bust — thought to depict an official from the reign of Pharaoh Thutmose III (1479–1425 BC) — was discovered at the TEFAF art fair in Maastricht in 2022. Following an anonymous tip, investigators confirmed that the artifact had been unlawfully taken from Egypt and sold on the black market.
The Dutch Information and Heritage Inspectorate revealed that the artifact was likely looted between 2011 and 2012, during widespread instability across the region. The decision to return the piece was described as part of the Netherlands’ ongoing commitment to cultural restitution and ethical museum practices.
Outgoing Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof made the announcement during his visit to Egypt for the inauguration of the Grand Egyptian Museum in Giza, where he met with President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. The artifact will be officially handed over to the Egyptian ambassador in The Hague before the end of the year.
The move follows a series of recent repatriations by European nations, as global pressure mounts for the return of looted artifacts to their countries of origin.
Source: Thepressradio.com
