An ancient wooden sarcophagus is displayed during a handover ceremony at the foreign ministry in Cairo, Egypt. AP
Secretary-General of the Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities Mostafa Waziri takes a close look at the ancient Egyptian artefact 'Green Sarcophagus' after it was returned from the Houston Museum of Natural Sciences, in Cairo, Egypt, 02 January 2023. Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry and US Charge of Affairs Daniel Rubinstein attended a ceremony on 02 January to celebrate the handing over of the coffin lid known as the 'Green Sarcophagus' that was smuggled illegally outside of Egypt and recovered from the Houston Museum of Natural Sciences. The artefact is three meters long carved in wood with columns of hieroglyphic texts dating back to the Late Period (664-332 BC). EPA / KHALED ELFIQI
From left: Mostafa Waziri, head of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities, Tourism and Antiquities Minister Ahmed Issa, Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry and other officials attend the handover ceremony for an ancient wooden sarcophagus that has been returned to Egypt. AFP
The sarcophagus was looted and smuggled out of Egypt years ago. AFP
It was previously displayed at the Houston Museum of Natural Science. AFP
Mr Shoukry, second left, and Mr Issa, right, look on as Mr Waziri speaks during the handover ceremony, at the Foreign Ministry headquarters in Cairo. AFP
Egypt's Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry (L) and Tourism and Antiquities Minister Ahmed Issa (C-R) look on as the head of the Supreme Council of Antiquities Mostafa Waziri (C) gives a statement during a handover ceremony for an ancient Egyptian wooden sarcophagus that was looted and smuggled years prior and was formerly displayed at Houston Museum of Natural Sciences, at the foreign ministry headquarters in the capital Cairo. AFP
Secretary-General of the Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities Mostafa Waziri takes a close look at the ancient Egyptian artefact 'Green Sarcophagus' after it was returned from the Houston Museum of Natural Sciences, in Cairo, Egypt. EPA
The ancient Egyptian artefact 'Green Sarcophagus' is displayed after it was returned from the Houston Museum of Natural Sciences, in Cairo, Egypt. EPA
An ancient wooden sarcophagus is displayed during a handover ceremony at the foreign ministry in Cairo, Egypt. AP
Secretary-General of the Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities Mostafa Waziri takes a close look at the ancient Egyptian artefact 'Green Sarcophagus' after it was returned from the Houston Museum of Natural Sciences, in Cairo, Egypt, 02 January 2023. Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry and US Charge of Affairs Daniel Rubinstein attended a ceremony on 02 January to celebrate the handing over of the coffin lid known as the 'Green Sarcophagus' that was smuggled illegally outside of Egypt and recovered from the Houston Museum of Natural Sciences. The artefact is three meters long carved in wood with columns of hieroglyphic texts dating back to the Late Period (664-332 BC). EPA / KHALED ELFIQI
From left: Mostafa Waziri, head of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities, Tourism and Antiquities Minister Ahmed Issa, Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry and other officials attend the handover ceremony for an ancient wooden sarcophagus that has been returned to Egypt. AFP
The sarcophagus was looted and smuggled out of Egypt years ago. AFP
It was previously displayed at the Houston Museum of Natural Science. AFP
Mr Shoukry, second left, and Mr Issa, right, look on as Mr Waziri speaks during the handover ceremony, at the Foreign Ministry headquarters in Cairo. AFP
Egypt's Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry (L) and Tourism and Antiquities Minister Ahmed Issa (C-R) look on as the head of the Supreme Council of Antiquities Mostafa Waziri (C) gives a statement during a handover ceremony for an ancient Egyptian wooden sarcophagus that was looted and smuggled years prior and was formerly displayed at Houston Museum of Natural Sciences, at the foreign ministry headquarters in the capital Cairo. AFP
Secretary-General of the Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities Mostafa Waziri takes a close look at the ancient Egyptian artefact 'Green Sarcophagus' after it was returned from the Houston Museum of Natural Sciences, in Cairo, Egypt. EPA
The ancient Egyptian artefact 'Green Sarcophagus' is displayed after it was returned from the Houston Museum of Natural Sciences, in Cairo, Egypt. EPA
An ancient wooden sarcophagus is displayed during a handover ceremony at the foreign ministry in Cairo, Egypt. AP
