The stolen Egyptian king is about to go home

Egyptian Culture Minister Faruq Hosni yesterday announced that the United States would return to the country a 3,000-year-old wooden sarcophagus containing a pharaoh's remains.

The 3,000-year-old sarcophagus will be given to Egyptian representatives on March 10.Photo: Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities.

Discovery said the sarcophagus is made of wood and is nearly 1.5 meters long. It has many colorful colors and is decorated with many beautiful drawings. The US customs officers confiscated it from a Spanish merchant at Miami International Airport in 2008. The merchant - shipped from Barcelona, ​​Spain - does not have any proof. prove ownership of the item.

Suspecting the coffin could be illegally taken out of Egyptian territory, US officials opened an investigation.

"US officials believe the coffin was removed from Egypt after 1970. It was displayed in the Spanish capital of Madrid in 2007," a press release issued by the Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities. clearly.

Egypt officially requested the United States to return it in November 2009.

Mr. Zahi Hawass, secretary general of the Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA), once said that the person in the corner of a pharaoh was named Ames in the 21st dynasty in Egyptian history. Ames ruled Egypt from 1070 to 945 BC. However, the AP believes that the person in the name is Imesy.

The two countries are carrying out procedures for Mr. Hawass to receive the coffin on March 10 in the US capital of Washington during an official ceremony.

According to the AP, thousands of Egyptian artifacts were taken abroad during the period when the country was ruled by British colonialists. Hawass confirmed that he had regained about 5,000 artifacts since he was president of the Supreme Council of Egyptian Antiquities.