The Albanese Labor Government has returned 17 archaeological objects to Egypt.
Minister for the Arts Tony Burke hosted His Excellency Nabil Habashi, Egypt's Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Emigration and Egyptian Expatriates at Parliament House to mark the occasion.
Amongst the returned objects is a wooden statue of the ancient Egyptian goddess Isis, which dates to the Ptolemaic period (332−30 BCE). Flecks of gold indicate this figure was once displayed close to the ruling king, perhaps in the royal household.
Also included were the amulet of Ptah (664−30 BCE) and the amulet headrest (1,070−323 BCE), which would have been placed in mummy cases to assist with the journey to the afterlife, as well as a sarcophagus panel taken from a larger mummy case depicting the Goddess Nut, mother of Isis (664-30 BCE).
Following Egypt's request for the objects' return, Australian officials and law enforcement agencies established the case that led to the seizure and forfeiture of the objects under the Protection of Movable Cultural Heritage Act 1986.
Most of the objects were purchased online and imported into Australia from the United States of America on separate occasions. A number were detected during a 2019 global operation to combat cultural property trafficking led by INTERPOL and the World Customs Organisation.
The return takes place in the year marking the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Egypt and Australia.
Minister for the Arts, Tony Burke, said this significant return included priceless and irreplaceable artefacts.
"These objects are of immense archaeologic, historic and scientific importance to Egypt.
"The Australian Government has firm views about the return of stolen pieces of cultural heritage. Where it was done to Australians we want the objects back. And where Australia is holding objects, we ought not have, we want to assist in their return.
Images of the objects and their correct attributions can be found here, images of the handover can be found here.
