Germans return 'stolen' parts of Great Pyramid
Fragments of the Great Pyramid of Giza, which were allegedly stolen by German archaeologists last year, have been returned to Egypt from Germany. But the case against those who allegedly took the samples is continuing.
The Egyptian foreign ministry handed over "samples stolen in the Cheops pyramid" to the antiquities ministry, said the state news agency MENA.
The fragments had been in Germany before being returned to Egypt. They were handed over to Egyptian authorities at the country’s embassy in Berlin.
Former antiquities minister Mohamed Ibrahim said in December "German researchers, helped by an Egyptian guide had taken samples of stone, as well as fragments of a tablet bearing the name of the Pharaoh Cheops" in the pyramid. The tablet was the only one in the pyramid showing the Pharaoh’s name.
At 146 metres (480 feet) tall, the Great Pyramid, also known as the Cheops pyramid in the Giza area, west of Cairo, is considered one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, built some 4,500 years ago.
The two researchers took the samples to Germany to analyse them at a laboratory in Dresden as they wanted to try to confirm a theory that the pyramid was built more than 15,000 years ago.
But they were charged for removing pyramid samples in April 2013.
The Germans, who are now back home, were meant to appear alongside six Egyptians in a Cairo court for the start of the trial on Sunday, but the case was adjourned to November 8th.
On Sunday, after the case was postponed, one of the amateur archaeologists, Dominique Görlitz, wrote on his Facebook page that “enough is enough”, describing the case as “unacceptable”.
Görlitz said he had permission to visit the pyramid and told the Egyptian authorities about what happened.
The pyramid is the largest of the three pyramids in Giza.
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The Egyptian foreign ministry handed over "samples stolen in the Cheops pyramid" to the antiquities ministry, said the state news agency MENA.
The fragments had been in Germany before being returned to Egypt. They were handed over to Egyptian authorities at the country’s embassy in Berlin.
Former antiquities minister Mohamed Ibrahim said in December "German researchers, helped by an Egyptian guide had taken samples of stone, as well as fragments of a tablet bearing the name of the Pharaoh Cheops" in the pyramid. The tablet was the only one in the pyramid showing the Pharaoh’s name.
At 146 metres (480 feet) tall, the Great Pyramid, also known as the Cheops pyramid in the Giza area, west of Cairo, is considered one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, built some 4,500 years ago.
The two researchers took the samples to Germany to analyse them at a laboratory in Dresden as they wanted to try to confirm a theory that the pyramid was built more than 15,000 years ago.
But they were charged for removing pyramid samples in April 2013.
The Germans, who are now back home, were meant to appear alongside six Egyptians in a Cairo court for the start of the trial on Sunday, but the case was adjourned to November 8th.
On Sunday, after the case was postponed, one of the amateur archaeologists, Dominique Görlitz, wrote on his Facebook page that “enough is enough”, describing the case as “unacceptable”.
Görlitz said he had permission to visit the pyramid and told the Egyptian authorities about what happened.
The pyramid is the largest of the three pyramids in Giza.
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