Egyptians outraged after ancient pharaoh's bracelet was stolen from Cairo museum and melted down

[dalton99a]

https://apnews.com/article/egypt-antiquities-museum-pharaoh-bracelet-stolen-13e6958fe0be0765a6ee77446025d7b7

Egyptians outraged after ancient pharaoh’s bracelet was stolen from Cairo museum and melted down
By SAMY MAGDY
Updated 10:51 AM CDT, September 21, 2025


This undated photo provided by Egypt's Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities shows a 3,000-year-old bracelet that belonged to an ancient pharaoh, which was stolen from Cairo's famed Egyptian Museum and then melted down for gold. (Egypt's Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities via AP)

CAIRO (AP) — Egyptians reacted with outrage this week after officials said that a 3,000-year-old bracelet that had belonged to an ancient pharaoh was stolen from Cairo’s famed Egyptian Museum and then melted down for gold.

Tourism and Antiquities Minister Sherif Fathy said in televised comments late Saturday that the bracelet was stolen on Sep. 9 while officials at the museum were preparing artifacts for an exhibit in Italy. He blamed “laxity” in implementing procedures at the facility and said that prosecutors were still investigating.

The bracelet, containing a lapis lazuli bead, belonged to Pharaoh Amenemope, who reigned about 3,000 years ago. Authorities said it was taken from a restoration lab at the museum and then funneled through a chain of dealers before being melted down. The minister said the lab didn’t have security cameras.

Four suspects have been arrested and questioned, including a restoration specialist at the museum, the Interior Ministry said.

According to the Interior Ministry, the restoration specialist who was arrested confessed to giving the bracelet to an acquaintance who owns a silver shop in Cairo’s Sayyeda Zainab district. It was later sold to the owner of a gold workshop for the equivalent of about $3,800. It was eventually sold for around $4,000 to a worker at another gold workshop, who melted the bracelet down to make other gold jewelry.

The loss of a treasure that had survived for three millennia was painful to many people in Egypt, where there is great esteem for the nation’s ancient heritage.

[Totally Tunsie]

1. When I saw the headline, my first thought was about Melanoma's trip to Egypt

during hubby's first administration. Are they sure it's been there all this time?

[TheFarseer]

2. Please tell me they didn't know

It was ancient Egyptian when they melted it down.

[chowder66]

3. If they were working in the restoration department, they sure as hell knew.

[allegorical oracle]

4. Was either Don Jr or Eric anywhere within 100 miles?

[TheFarseer]

6. I thought it said

They sold it to someone else that melted it down but maybe I misread it.

[chowder66]

9. Four suspects have been arrested and questioned, including a restoration specialist at the museum, the Interior Ministry

They were preparing for an exhibit. The workers will know about the exhibits, will be told about handling with care, etc.
And it was taking from the restoration area.

I can only assume they knew they were taking something very precious.

[Ms. Toad]

10. They did, but from another article it was clear that at least authorities believed

Everyone in the chain knew.

[harumph]

5. Well criminally it make sense - because stolen art is catalogued and very hard to sell.

Damn shame though.

[WarGamer]

7. reminds me of what the knuckle dragging French Revolutionaries did...

[DFW]

8. There will be a worldwide wave of this, from priceless antiques to cheap chains and armbands.

With the price of gold less than $10 from breaking the $3700 per ounce—over $100 per gram—barrier, it’s worth the while of every two bit street thug to rip gold chains from people’s necks, gold armbands from people’s wrists, and a bracelet of massive gold like the one from the Egyptian museum probably melted down for $6000 or more. That’s probably half a year’s salary for a low-tier museum employee in Cairo.

But when ripping a simple 14k gold chain from a teenage girl’s neck will net the petty goon $250 within half an hour, you can bet it’s not going to be limited to Karachi, Napoli or São Paulo.