Egyptian Pharaoh’s Stolen Bracelet Recovered

The Egyptian Ministry of Home Affairs reported on Thursday that a 3,000-year-old bracelet belonging to an Egyptian Pharaoh was stolen and subsequently melted down for cash, resulting in the arrest of four individuals.

The bracelet, which was linked to Amenemope, the third mid-term king, vanished from the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir amid renovations. According to the Ministry of Tourism, this valuable artifact drew attention when a restoration specialist recorded its image, as reported by BBC News on September 9. This specialist had coordinated with the owner of a silver shop, who then sold the piece to gold workshop owners in Cairo for about 180,000 Egyptian pounds, or roughly $3,700, as noted by NBC News.

The gold workshop owner eventually sold the item for around 194,000 Egyptian pounds, close to $4,000, to workers at a gold smelting facility. The individuals involved melted down the bracelet and transformed it into various jewelry pieces.

Law enforcement has obtained confessions from the arrested four and has seized the money involved, according to BBC News.

The Ministry of Tourism further indicated that a special committee had taken steps to ensure the safety of additional artifacts. A bracelet image was shared with all relevant units at land borders, airports, and ports across Egypt.

This bracelet was scheduled for transfer to Italy for an exhibition titled “Treasures of the Pharaohs,” planned for October at a museum in Rome, according to NBC News.

Amenemope ruled during Egypt’s 21st dynasty from 993 to 984 BC, and his burial remains one of three entirely undisturbed royal burials discovered from ancient times. The museum references an excavation site identified by French Egyptologists Pierre Monet and Georges Goyon in 1940, which was delayed due to World War II.