February 3, 2011 – On the verge of the demonstrations at the Tahrir square in Cairo Egyptian cultural property has become a victim of looters. Last Friday, during the night of January 28, unknown persons have broken into the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. Right now, nobody really knows, what has been damaged, destroyed or stolen. Our information derives from some pictures in the Internet and the telephone interviews Dr. Zahi Hawass has given.
The former director of the Egyptian Museum, Dr. Wafaa el-Saddik, has joined in the discussion. She accuses the badly paid security guards of the Egyptian Museum and some policemen to have taken part in the lootings.
Pillages seem to have occurred at other remote excavations, magazines and museums, too. We have compiled a collection of links in order to outline the situation.
Al Jazeera, January 29, 2011
Film on the looting of the Egyptian Museums featuring shocking pictures.
National Geographic, 29. Januar 2011
Film on the looting of the Egyptian Museum repeating the shocking pictures.
Associated Press, 29. Januar 2011
Soldiers secure the Egyptian Museum featuring nearly the same pictures.
Reuters, 31. Januar 2011
Article on the looting of the magazine of the Qantara museum near Ismailia.
Kölner Stadtanzeiger, 31. Januar 2011
Dr. Wafaa el-Saddik the former director of the Egyptian Museum accuses the underpaid security guards and policemen to have taken part in the looting. She blames the ministry of culture for the insufficient equipment of the museum with financial resources. (This article is only in German.)
CultureGrrl, 31. Januar 2011
Lee Rosenbaum wonders, whether the claims for restitution of cultural property have to be thought over after the Egyptian events.
Wall Street Journal, 1. Februar 2011
Alexander Joffe refuses to restitute cultural property to countries, where the situation might endanger it.
Washington Post, 1. Februar 2011
Interview with Hosni Mubarak who has been appointed antiquities minister by Hosni Mubarak. He declares that the Egyptian cultural heritage is now secure.