This comes as part of Egypt’s efforts to recover artifacts around the world that embody the nation’s rich history. The return of the artifacts from Ireland is the culmination of more than a year and a half of ambitious persistence on Egypt’s end.
The artifacts were being held at the University of Cork, and the university displayed incredible support and cooperation throughout the reclamation process.
Ancient artifacts returned to their rightful home in Egypt
The Egyptian Minister of Tourism, Sharif Fathi, applauded efforts between all parties involved in the return of these precious items. Fathi cited the efforts of the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Egyptian embassy in Dublin, the Embassy of the State of Ireland in Cairo, and the University of Cork.
“My sincere thanks in advance for this kind gesture, which is an important step in strengthening the growing cultural and scientific relations between the two countries,” said Fathi in a post published on Facebook by the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities.
Dr. Mohamed Ismail, the Egyptian Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, said that the University of Cork had acquired the relics in the 1920s. He noted that the returned artifacts included a painted wooden sarcophagus containing mummified remains and a collection of limestone canopic jars, known to hold the embalmed viscera of the deceased in preparation for the afterlife.
Also returned were five pieces of painted cartonnage from the ancient Greek and Roman periods. Cartonnages were large sheets of linen or papyrus used for a variety of funerary purposes. They were utilized to produce masks that covered the head and shoulders of mummies or even the entirety of the sarcophagus. The material was flexible and sturdy enough to be wrapped tightly around the body, allowing the ancients to paint on them.
According to Ismail, the recovered items will be taken to the Egyptian Museum in Tahir Square for restoration purposes. The end goal will be to display them in the museum for a limited time in an exhibition of reclaimed ancient Egyptian artifacts.
Shaaban Abdel Jawad, the director-general of the General Department for Artifact Repatriation and supervisor of the Central Administration of Archeological Ports, said that the canopic jars belonged to an ancient priest from the 22nd dynasty known as Pa-Wer. This man was revered in ancient Egypt and was referred to as the “Father of the god” and “Guardian of the Fields of the god.”