Egyptian Tour Guide Arrested for Drawing on Ancient Pyramid

An Egyptian tour guide has been apprehended after allegedly sketching stick figures on the 4,000-year-old Pyramid of Unas while leading a group of tourists. The incident gained significant attention when a video surfaced on social media, showing the guide crouched at the pyramid’s base while tourists stood nearby, listening to his explanation. In the footage, he can be seen attempting to erase his drawings, but remnants were still visible.

The Interior Ministry of Egypt released a statement on X, confirming that the guide “damaged the ancient relic by painting on the outer casing of one of the pyramids.” The initial report generally mentioned the Giza region, but further details clarified it took place at the Pyramid of Unas, located in Saqqara.

Following the spread of the video online, authorities launched an investigation. Antiquities inspectors identified the guide and subsequently reported him to the Saqqara Tourism Police Station. Experts were later able to remove the sketches, according to officials.

In their statements, the ministry noted that the guide confessed to the charges during questioning. They confirmed that “legal action has been taken” regarding the incident.

Local media highlighted the importance of the Pyramid of Unas, stating it houses the oldest pyramid texts. These inscriptions, comprising over 200 incantations carved into the inner walls, are regarded by scholars as some of the earliest known funerary texts.

This event unfolds amid Egypt’s ongoing efforts to enhance the protection and conservation of its antiquities, especially given the millions of tourists who flock to these historical sites each year. Under Egypt’s antiquities protection law, offenses such as defacing monuments can lead to significant penalties, including prison sentences and fines, which vary based on the severity of the act.