Switzerland returns fragment of statue of Ramesses II to Egypt
The fragment of a statue of the pharaoh Ramesses II is thought to be more than 3,400 years old
Federal Office of Culture
Switzerland has returned to Egypt a fragment of a statue of the pharaoh Ramesses II that is more than 3,400 years old. The object had been confiscated in Geneva as part of cantonal criminal proceedings.
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Suíça devolve fragmento de estátua de Ramsés II ao Egito
The sculpture of Ramesses II is part of a group statue in which the pharaoh is seated alongside various Egyptian deities, the Federal Office of Culture said in a statementExternal link on Monday. The fragment was stolen between the late 1980s and early 1990s from the Temple of Ramesses II in Abydos. It passed through several countries before arriving in Switzerland.
The stone sculpture was handed over to the Egyptian embassy in Bern on Monday by Carine Bachmann, director of the Federal Office of Culture. Its return is in accordance with the law on the international transfer of cultural property, the office said.
This restitution underlines the joint commitment of Switzerland and Egypt to combating the illicit trade in cultural property, which was strengthened in 2011 by the entry into force of a bilateral agreement on the import and return of cultural property.
Both countries are parties to the 1970 UNESCO Convention to prohibit and prevent the illicit import, export and transfer of ownership of cultural property. Egypt has been hard hit by the looting and destruction of its archaeological sites. The objects at risk range from everyday objects to religious or ritual objects, such as funerary offerings, statues and other architectural elements.
Ramesses II, also known as Ramesses the Great and, in ancient Greek sources, Ozymandias, was an Egyptian pharaoh who lived from around 1303BC-1213BC.
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The war on stolen artefacts
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Switzerland was once a hot destination for stolen cultural artefacts. But now it’s trying hard to secure the return of treasures.
It’s working closely with the Italian authorities. The latest handover was in October: the Swiss gave the Italian embassy in Bern 27 objects of huge historic and artistic value. These included 26 Etruscan artefacts from a private collection and a 2,000-year-old marble bust, found at the Geneva free port.
The illicit trafficking of cultural artefacts is the world’s third-largest illegal market, after drugs and weapons. Countries such as Italy, which has a rich cultural heritage, have been working hard for decades to stop it.
As the Lugano lawyer and expert in art law Dario Jucker explains, stolen cultural property represents a vast illegal market.
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