'Tablet of the Seven Sacred Oils' to be returned to Egypt

Egypt's Embassy in Switzerland received today the 'Tablet of the Seven Sacred Oils' within the Ministry of Antiquities' plan to repatriate smuggled Egyptian antiquities, announced Dr. Eldamaty, Minister of Antiquities.

The 'Tablet of the Seven Sacred Oils' [Credit: Ministry of Antiquities]

Repatriating this tablet comes as an implementation of the bilateral convention signed between Egypt and Switzerland related to illegal import, export and transfer of cultural properties prohibition, said Eldamaty pointing out that the aforementioned piece is planned to return to Egypt soon.

General Supervisor of the M.A Repatriated Antiquities Department, Shabaan Abdel Gawad said that the limestone tablet dates back to the Old Kingdom and it contains a list of the seven sacred oils. The tablet carries the name and titles of the tomb owner "Anumen" that was discovered by the Egyptian Australian mission in 1996 at Saqara.

Antiquities collector Jean Claude Candor bought the illegally smuggled tablet from a Belgian dealer after the state of turmoil that prevailed in Egypt during the 2011 Revolution.

Source: Egypt. Ministry of Antiquities [March 03, 2016]