A First Look at the 36 Ancient Artifacts the US Just Handed Over to Egypt

"The collection of recovered artifacts is actually comprised of three caches: a group of 11 artifacts handed over in May by New York District Attorney Alvin Bragg, whose Antiquities Trafficking Unit has become the premier office investigating such crimes; 25 rare Coptic and Syrian manuscripts handed over by the Metropolitan Museum of Art; and a third grouping handed over by Bragg's office more recently that includes a colored plasterboard dating to the 18th Dynasty of Egypt (or about 1500 BCE)."

"The pieces, the agency said, are set to be deposited with Egyptian Museum, though it did not specify if this was the older museum in Cairo, or the glitzy new Grand Egyptian Museum in nearby Giza, which finally had its grand opening earlier this month after two decades in construction and $1 billion in development costs."

""Any artifact that belongs to Egypt's heritage is important. Even if it's a small stone, it is important to bring it back to Egypt, where it belongs," El-Aref told the broadcaster. "It is very important for Egypt to preserve its archaeological heritage and its history and pass it on to the next generations.""

Egypt recovered 36 artifacts looted from the country and reclaimed by US authorities. The artifacts will be deposited with the Egyptian Museum, with location unspecified between Cairo's older museum or the newly opened Grand Egyptian Museum in Giza. The recovered items consist of three caches: 11 artifacts handed over by New York District Attorney Alvin Bragg's Antiquities Trafficking Unit; 25 rare Coptic and Syrian manuscripts returned by the Metropolitan Museum of Art; and a more recent grouping from Bragg's office that includes a colored plasterboard dating to the 18th Dynasty (circa 1500 BCE). Egyptian authorities monitor online activity and collaborate with foreign counterparts to recover smuggled antiquities and emphasize returning every piece to preserve heritage for future generations.

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