President Sheikh Khalifa has approved a law that will protect monuments and artefacts, such as these owned by a collector in Abu Dhabi, from sale, damage and being defaced. Fatima Al Marzooqi / The National
President Sheikh Khalifa has approved a law that will protect monuments and artefacts, such as these owned by a collector in Abu Dhabi, from sale, damage and being defaced. Fatima Al Marzooqi / The NaShow more

Sheikh Khalifa approves law setting out fines of up to Dh10 million for damaging antiquities



President Sheikh Khalifa has approved a law that will protect monuments and artefacts from sale, damage and being defaced, with huge fines and potential ail time for those that breach the new legislation.

The Federal Law No 11 of 2017 on Antiquities is aimed at preserving the UAE's fixed assets 'in order to promote national identity and preserve cultural heritage, for the purpose of reviving and enriching the national heritage of the country', news agency Wam reported.

The provisions of the law shall apply to national effects and shall not apply to foreign items except in cases where this is expressly stated, Wam reported.

The Ministry of Culture and Knowledge Development shall prepare a national registry containing data and information on the effects, registration, provided by the authorities.

When the draft bill was passed by the Federal National Council, it was stated that anyone who defaces or destroys an antiquity or artefact could face a minimum of two years in jail and Dh10 million in fines.

Building on, planting or changing the characteristics of an archaeological site, making excavations without a permit and smuggling items into or out of the country would be punishable with the same penalties.

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The smuggler

Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple. 
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.

Khouli conviction

Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.

For sale

A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.

- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico

- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000

- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950

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