Egypt has recovered an ancient golden funerary mask from Switzerland as part of ongoing efforts to reclaim Egyptian antiquities that were taken abroad illegally.
The mask dates back to the second century BC, making it roughly 2,200 years old. Swiss authorities officially handed the artifact over to Egyptian Ambassador Mohamed Yehia Mohamed Negm during a ceremony in Bern.
Ancient Egyptian Mask Seized in Switzerland
The funerary mask first came to the attention of Swiss authorities in September 2022, when a transport company declared the artifact while passing through customs at Bardonnex in Geneva.
Customs officials became suspicious about its provenance and blocked the import. An Egyptology expert was later brought in to examine the piece and confirmed that the ancient Egyptian mask was authentic.
The artifact was subsequently confiscated as part of criminal proceedings after authorities established evidence that it had been imported illegally.
Switzerland Officially Returns the Mask to Egypt
Swiss Federal Councillor Elisabeth Baume-Schneider formally presented the funerary mask to Egypt’s ambassador during a ceremony at the Beatrice von Wattenwyl House in Bern.
A representative from Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities was also present during the handover.
Egypt’s State Information Service described the artifact as a valuable golden mummy mask and said its recovery forms part of the country’s wider campaign to retrieve archaeological objects that left Egypt through illegal channels.
Egypt and Switzerland Cooperate Against Antiquities Trafficking
Egypt and Switzerland have maintained a bilateral agreement covering the import, transit and return of cultural property since 2011.
The agreement allows the two countries to cooperate more closely in identifying illegally traded antiquities and returning cultural objects to their country of origin.
Over the past 15 years, Switzerland has returned around 80 cultural objects to Egypt, according to Swiss authorities.
Egyptian authorities said the latest handover reflects growing cooperation between Cairo and Bern in protecting cultural heritage and combating the illegal trafficking and smuggling of archaeological artifacts.
Egypt Continues Push to Recover Smuggled Antiquities
The return of the funerary mask comes as Egypt continues an international effort to recover archaeological pieces that were illegally removed from the country and later appeared in private collections, auctions or foreign markets.
Egypt has worked with governments and law-enforcement agencies around the world to investigate the provenance of ancient objects and secure their repatriation when evidence shows they left the country illegally.
The newly recovered mask will now return to Egypt, more than two millennia after it was originally created.
