The Belgian authorities have officially Repatriated a 2,300-year-old wooden sarcophagus and a ceremonial artifact to Egypt, marking the end of a decade-long diplomatic effort to reclaim looted antiquities.
The formal handover ceremony, held at the Cinquantenaire cloister of the Royal Museums of Art and History in Brussels on Friday, July 11, was attended by senior officials from the Belgian Public Prosecutor’s Office and Egypt’s Ambassador to Belgium, H.E. Ahmed Abu Zeid.
The returned sarcophagus, dating to the Ptolemaic period (4th–3rd century BCE), is a masterwork of ancient craftsmanship. The anthropoid coffin—its face gilded in gold leaf and hair painted in a sacred blue hue—was designed for a mummified elite believed to have been deified in death as Osiris, the ancient Egyptian god of the underworld. Hieroglyphic inscriptions identify the deceased as Pa-di-Hor-pa-khered, or “He who was given by Harpokrates,” revealing his high status in Egyptian society.
Alongside the sarcophagus, Belgian authorities also returned a wooden ceremonial beard, an iconic symbol often associated with pharaonic regalia and divine representation.
Bridging Civilizations, Restoring Heritage
The sarcophagus and the beard had been housed for nearly a decade in the secured reserves of the Egyptology section at the Royal Museums to ensure their preservation during the investigation. The coffin’s inlaid glass eyes, intricately engraved woodwork, and richly gilded details all speak to the sophistication of its creators—and the cultural significance of its return.
Julien Moinil, the Brussels public prosecutor, described the restitution as “a true act of justice.” He added, “After ten years of investigation, returning a stolen heritage item to its country of origin reaffirms our commitment to cultural integrity and international cooperation.”
The use of the Cinquantenaire cloister for the handover—lined with medieval European tombstones—offered a poignant visual juxtaposition of funerary traditions, symbolically linking Europe’s and Egypt’s ancient legacies of honoring the dead.
Egypt’s Global Repatriation Campaign Continues
This restitution represents a milestone in Egypt’s ongoing international campaign to recover looted cultural property, which has seen increased momentum over the past decade. Spearheaded by the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, the campaign seeks not only to reclaim national treasures but also to raise awareness around the illicit antiquities trade.
The two artifacts will now be repatriated to Egypt via diplomatic channels, where they are expected to undergo conservation and eventually be displayed in one of the country’s national museums.
The Egyptian government has praised Belgium’s cooperation as a model of ethical responsibility and diplomatic transparency in the fight against the trafficking of cultural heritage.
