US family returns four artifacts to Egypt, including statue head thought to depict female pharoah

An American family has returned four ancient artifacts to Egypt, including a significant granite sphinx head believed to date from the 18th Dynasty. The artifacts, which had been part of a private collection in Texas, were officially handed over to Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities on June 5. The family initiated the process after the owner's death, recognizing the historical and civilizational value of the items.

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in recognition of the civilizational and historical value they represent.

Among the returned objects are a bronze hippopotamus figurine from the 12th Dynasty, a double bronze statue of a king from the 26th Dynasty, and a bronze statue of the crocodile god Sobek, also from the Late Period. The granite sphinx head, believed to depict either Pharaoh Hatshepsut or Thutmose III, is considered the most prominent piece due to its artistic merit.

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the granite sphinx head is the most prominent artifact to be recovered due to its significant artistic value.

Shaaban Abdel Gawad, director-general of the antiquities repatriation department, noted the significance of the sphinx head. The Egyptian Tourism and Antiquities Ministry expressed gratitude to the family, emphasizing that such gestures reflect increasing global awareness regarding the importance of preserving cultural heritage. This event follows a trend of international artifact repatriation, including the return of 13 artifacts to Egypt by the United States in April.

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the recovery of the pieces reflects the growing global awareness of the importance of preserving cultural heritage.