Netherlands to Repatriate 3,500-Year-Old Egyptian Sculpture Looted During Arab Spring

The Netherlands has decided to return the 3,500-year-old sculpture that was potentially stolen from Egypt during the Arab Spring in 2011 or 2012 and smuggled into the Netherlands. During the debut of the Grand Egyptian Museum in Giza, Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof vowed to repatriate the ancient stone head, tracing its origins back to the era of the pharaohs. Unearthed in 2022 at The European Fine Art Foundation fair, the artifact was surrendered voluntarily by the dealer upon discovery of its illicit provenance. The Dutch government emphasized the significance of the sculpture, attributed to the reign of Pharaoh Thutmose III, to Egypt’s cultural heritage and assured its handover to the Egyptian ambassador by year-end. This act underscores the Netherlands’ dedication to restoring antiquities to their rightful country of origin.