World

Artefacts stolen from Egyptian Museum

06:02 am on 14 February 2011

Prized artefacts are missing from the Egyptian Museum after looters broke-in early in the unrest.

Missing objects missing include a statue of King Tutankhamun and objects from the time of the rebel Pharaoh Akhenaten.

Antiquities affairs minister Zahi Hawass said a gilded wood statue of the 18th Dynasty Pharaoh Tut being carried by a goddess was among the missing pieces.

In a statement, he said pieces from the Amarnah period also taken, including a sandstone head of a princess and a limestone statue of Akhenaten holding an offering table.

Thieves broke-in through the roof of the museum on 28 January at the height of protests that eventually toppled President Hosni Mubarak.

Other stolen artefacts include a statue of Akhenaten's wife Nefertiti making offerings, a stone statuette of a scribe from Amarna, 11 wooden funerary figurines, or shabti statuettes, and a heart scarab of the 18th Dynasty official Yuya.

The torso and upper limbs of a gilded wood statue of Tutankhamun harpooning was also missing.

The protests began on 25 January. The resignation of President Mubarak was announced on 11 February.