Switzerland Returns a Funerary Mask to Egypt That is Over Two Thousand Years Old

- The Swiss Embassy in the Egyptian capital, Cairo, announced today that Switzerland has returned an ancient funerary mask dating back to the Ptolemaic era, which is over two thousand years old, as part of the cooperation between the two countries to protect cultural heritage and combat the illegal trafficking of antiquities. The embassy explained in a statement published on its official "Facebook" account that Swiss customs authorities halted the entry of the mask into the country in 2022, before confirming through examinations conducted by archaeological experts that the piece is of Egyptian origin.

Federal Counselor Elisabeth Bomm Schneider officially handed over the mask to Egypt's Ambassador to Switzerland, Mohamed Nagm, in the city of Bern. According to the statement, the return of the mask is part of the cooperation between Switzerland and Egypt to protect cultural heritage and combat the illegal trafficking of cultural properties.

It is noteworthy that since 2011, Switzerland has returned about 80 archaeological and cultural pieces to Egypt.