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Ancient Coptic manuscripts returned to Egypt |
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Written by alarabonline
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Wednesday, 12 April 2006 |
Up to 13 Coptic language manuscripts, dating back to the third and fourth century AD and were smuggled out of the country illegally, were returned to Egypt from the United States.
Speaking to the press, the Secretary-General of the Higher Council for Archeological Remains Dr Zahi Hawas said the manuscripts were found by a farmer at the end of the seventies and were taken to most European states before landing in the US.
Hawas added that, the farmer had sold the manuscripts to an Egyptian merchant who smuggled them out of the country before he sold them. "The manuscripts were damaged because they were kept in one of the US bank safes for about a year," Hawas said.
He said that the US and Egypt had agreed to restore the manuscripts and translate them and then to return them to the native soil, where they would be put on display at the Coptic museum, expected to open soon.
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