Amid the continuing chaos in Egypt, it has emerged that would-be looters broke into Cairo’s famed Egyptian Museum, ripped the heads off two mummies and damaged around 75 small artifacts before being caught and detained by army soldiers, Egypt’s antiquities chief said Saturday (29th January 2011).
The looters appear to have entered from the glass dome on the roof of the museum with ropes with the intention to loot antiquities. Civilian and army soldiers surrounded the museum and detained several looters.
In the above photo, taken early Saturday, January 29th, and made available Monday, January 31st, parts of unidentified mummies are seen damaged on the floor of the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, Egypt.
Dr. Zahi Hawass, Director for the Supreme Council of Antiquities in Egypt, said the vandals did not manage to steal any of the museum’s antiquities, and that the prized collection was now safe and under military guard.
Egyptian army soldiers have also taken up position in front of the Giza pyramids.
In times of unrest (good or bad), there is always great concern for a countries antiquities. Hopefully nothing serious will happen to the monuments and treasures of Egypt.
