Author: Amany Ebrahim

Investigations continue into the disappearance of a rare golden bracelet belonging to King Psusennes I, one of the most prominent kings of the 21st dynasty, from the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir. Despite rumors that it was undergoing restoration in preparation for its travel to Italy to be displayed at an international exhibition, no official statement has yet been issued clarifying whether the bracelet was lost, stolen, or simply the result of an administrative error in the custody records.

In this investigation, Bab Masr reveals the smuggling routes that begin in the heart of Cairo, passing through Thailand and Hong Kong, before the Egyptian antiquities end up in the homes of collectors in Canada and the United States. The investigation is based on American documents, official testimonies, and customs seizure reports to map out one of the networks smuggling Egyptian antiquities. It begins with a doctor who carried artifacts in his suitcases, passes through shipping companies and forged ownership certificates, and ends with their sale at online auctions.

Negotiations continue between Britain and France over France’s request to borrow the Rosetta Stone, one of the most famous Egyptian artifacts on display at the British Museum, in exchange for the British Museum’s offer to loan the huge Bayeux Tapestry, on loan from France, next year. France’s agreement to loan the archaeological textile was the start of negotiations and pressure from France, which included demands for reduced or free admission for French citizens. However, the most prominent demand was for the loan of the Rosetta Stone, which sparked widespread controversy and questions about the right of the two countries to…

Many countries around the world have resorted to enacting strict legislation and penalties to prevent the demolition or alteration of historic buildings. This legislation is subject to constant amendments, especially with the acceleration of construction around the world. To preserve historic buildings that are not registered as monuments, protection takes many forms, from France to the United States, Scotland and Azerbaijan, where innovative methods are used, such as moving buildings weighing hundreds of tons, rehabilitating old theaters and factories, and converting them into banks, museums or residential units. Bab Masr looks at examples from around the world that show how…

The European Union has begun implementing a new law aimed at regulating the import of archaeological and artistic objects from private collections on loan to museums in member states. The law was passed after a number of European museums were implicated in displaying and selling items on loan from private collections whose ownership was suspected, some of which were later investigated and found to be stolen. The law came into force at the end of June, in an unprecedented move aimed at protecting global cultural heritage and curbing the trade in looted antiquities. It follows nearly eight years of debate.…

“The Egyptian Grasshopper” sparks controversy at a London auction On July 27, Apollo Auction House held an auction in London to sell a rare Egyptian cosmetic vessel known as the “Genoula Genoula,” made of wood and ivory. The auction ended with the piece selling for £340,000 (US$455,000), equivalent to a third of its value when it was sold in 2007.

Drawing inspiration from the history of the Sayeda Nafisa neighborhood, specifically Al-Ashraf Street in Al-Khalifa, students from the Department of Decoration at the Faculty of Applied Arts at Helwan University in Cairo created a graduation project entitled “Historic Cairo: Reviving the Heritage of Al-Khalifa,” which combines contemporary creativity with Egyptian identity. Fifty-five students presented the project under the supervision of Dr. Manal Abdel Rahim Hassan and Dr. Dalia Ahmed Al-Sharqawi, with the aim of exploring Cairo’s rich history and reinterpreting it through modern artistic techniques. Some of the students are exhibiting their work in an art exhibition entitled “Identity… Through…

It was not a planned meeting, but rather a fleeting moment that brought together writer Amira Al-Nashouqati, poet Ahmed Haddad, Egyptian oud player Hazem Shahin, and the late Lebanese musician Ziad Rahbani on an evening in Cairo in 2010. What began as a chance encounter ended in a deep human and artistic relationship, punctuated by friendships and joint projects, and woven together by a shared love of art and music. This relationship revealed other sides of Ziad Rahbani, as seen by his fans in Egypt: a man before he was a musician, as sincere as his songs, and close to…

The “Cleopatra: The Mystery” exhibition, organized by the Arab World Institute, will continue in Paris until January 11, 2026. The exhibition aims to present a new interpretation of the history of Queen Cleopatra VII by correcting misconceptions and stereotypes that have been associated with her over the centuries. The exhibition is not limited to displaying statues and paintings, but also presents a comprehensive historical and cultural narrative that responds to Western artistic works, including the Netflix series that sparked widespread controversy when it was released two years ago. The mystery of Cleopatra The exhibition is being held to mark the…

Behind every Palestinian martyr and victim, there is a story that the news reports never tell, dreams that never had a chance to come true. Victims are often counted as numbers, without regard for the lives that were cut short before they could be lived. This is how the “Palestinian Stories” initiative was born, the brainchild of Egyptian researcher Samar Dweidar, who chose to take a different path: rather than documenting events, she documents people, their lives and their simple dreams. The project began by chance, when she stumbled upon her grandfather’s archive: hundreds of photos and letters that opened…