Egypt has successfully repatriated a number of ancient artifacts and mummy remains from New Zealand, marking a milestone in the cooperation between the Arab Republic and New Zealand in the field of artifact repatriation.
The Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs recently handed over these significant pieces to the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities. These artifacts were previously received by the Egyptian Embassy in Wellington in a ceremonial event held at the end of October, involving the Wanganui and Southland Museums of New Zealand.
The Egyptian Embassy in Wellington hosted representatives from the said museums and the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs, along with a group of Maori citizens, the indigenous people of New Zealand, to conduct the handover ceremony of the Egyptian mummy remains and artifacts, respecting Maori traditions.
The ceremony was an opportunity to express gratitude for the efforts made in returning the mummy remains and Egyptian artifacts, and to commend New Zealand’s initiatives in repatriating illegally exported artifacts to their countries of origin.
The repatriated mummy remains and artifacts hold immense significance to the Egyptian people, with expectations for further collaboration in repatriating more Egyptian artifacts in the future.
It’s noteworthy that the repatriation process began in 2018. Officials from the involved New Zealand museums had expressed their willingness to return these cultural items, in line with Maori customs and traditions.
However, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused delays in the repatriation process due to the complete suspension of flights in New Zealand.
