Antiquities Repatriated to Egypt

American Inspired to return her Collection

Washington, DC:  Cynthia Croasdaile, a former resident of Alexandria, Egypt, was inspired by media stories about the mass looting occurring in Egypt after the 2011 Revolution to return her family c. (685–525 BC) ushabtis or small funerary statues, had been in her family since the 1970s.

In a ceremony today at the Egyptian Embassy, the statues were presented on behalf of Ms. Croasdaileto the Egyptian government for placement in a museum in Cairo.

A story in the NY Times in March about the efforts of the Egyptian government to stem the mass increase in looting since the 2011 Revolution in that country inspired Ms. Croasdaileto explore how to return the Egyptian antiquities she had inherited from her parents.  Her father served as the head of Phillip’s Petroleum in Egypt in the 1970s, and was presented with these antiquities by his colleagues upon his departure from Alexandria.   She reached out to the Antiquities Coalition (AC), who’s efforts to halt cultural racketeering, or the systematic looting of antiquities by organized crime, was mentioned in the NYT Article.  https://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/15/arts/design/egypt-asks-us-to-impose-sharp-curbs-on-importing-of-antiquities.html

The Egyptian Ambassador, Mohammed Tawfik, welcomed the return of these artifacts saying,

“I would like to thank Ms. Croasdaile for her generosity in sending her family’s collection of antiquities back to Egypt. I hope that others will follow her example and be inspired by her efforts to do the same.”

The ushabtis will be returned to the Ministry of Antiquities in Cairo, and placed in a museum, which exhibits repatriated items.

“We commend Ms. Croasdailefor her actions today in repatriating these antiquities, said Deborah Lehr, Chairman of the Antiquities Coalition.  “The Antiquities Coalition was pleased to play a small role in helping facilitate their return to the Egyptian government.”

The Antiquities Coalition works to inspire people to appreciate our shared heritage and empowers local communities to steward and protect it.  In March 2014, The Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities and the AC signed a public private partnership to cooperate on efforts to combat cultural racketeering.  This initiative, implemented by the International Coalition to Protect Egyptian Antiquities, brings together broad group of experts including the Capitol Archaeological Institute at the George Washington University, the Archaeological Institute of America, and the American Schools for Oriental Research.

###

for more information about the Antiquities Coalition:  https://www.theantiquitiescoalition.org/

for the Egyptian Embassy:  Dina Ezzat at dinaezzat@hotmail.com.