A 3,000-year-old royal bracelet intended for an international exhibition was stolen from the Egyptian Museum in Cairo and destroyed for its gold value, leading to the arrest of four people, authorities said.
According to the Daily Caller, the jewelry, linked to King Amenemope of Egypt’s 21st Dynasty, was taken during restoration work and melted down after being sold through a chain of illicit transactions, according to government officials.
The artifact, which dated back to the Third Intermediate Period, was among the treasures scheduled to be featured in the upcoming “Treasures of the Pharaohs” exhibition in Rome this October. The bracelet was associated with King Amenemope, who reigned from 993 to 984 B.C. His burial is one of only three preserved intact from ancient Egypt.
According to the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, the bracelet vanished from the restoration lab of the Egyptian Museum earlier this month. The ministry revealed the artifact’s disappearance on Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2025. Officials ordered a full review of the lab’s inventory after the piece was reported missing.
Bracelet Disappeared as It Awaited Transport
The loss occurred while the precious item was preparing for export to Italy, where it was to be displayed among other historic Egyptian pieces. The bracelet was last seen while undergoing restoration procedures ahead of shipment.
On Thursday, Sept. 18, the Interior Ministry announced that an investigation led to the arrest of four individuals. It stated that the object was taken on Sept. 9 by a female restoration specialist working at the museum.
The restoration staff member collaborated with a local silver shop owner to remove the ancient jewelry from museum custody. She is alleged to have taken the item from the premises and delivered it to the shop owner shortly thereafter.
Bracelet Changed Hands Several Times
Authorities say the silver shopkeeper went on to sell the bracelet to the proprietor of a Cairo gold workshop. This exchange reportedly fetched around $3,735. The workshop owner didn't retain the piece as-is but passed it along to a gold smelter worker for a slightly higher sum of roughly $4,025.
The gold smelter allegedly added the thousands-year-old artifact to a batch of other jewelry and melted it down, permanently destroying the bracelet’s historic form. Law enforcement officials said they were able to retrieve the money from the transaction after securing confessions.
According to Egyptian police and judicial authorities, all four suspects admitted their involvement in the incident. The ministry's investigation confirmed that no additional artifacts were missing from the museum’s restoration lab.
Security Measures Boosted After Theft
Following the incident, museum officials took immediate security measures to prevent similar incidents. A photograph of the bracelet was circulated to antiquities units deployed at all Egyptian airports, land crossings, and seaports. This step aimed to stop any potential smuggling of the item abroad, had it not already been destroyed.
The theft is particularly significant due to the bracelet’s royal origin and the rarity of artifacts from King Amenemope's tomb. The burial site, discovered in 1940 by French archaeologists Pierre Monet and Georges Goyon, is among the very few untouched tombs from ancient Egypt. Excavations, however, faced delays because of World War II. Experts regard the loss of this specific bracelet as a major blow to both Egyptian cultural heritage and global archaeology. As a relic tied directly to an intact royal tomb, the piece held both academic and historical value that far exceeded its material worth in gold.
Ministerial Response and Public Reaction
The Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities emphasized the importance of safeguarding the country’s patrimony. Immediately after the announcement on Sept. 16, it launched an internal audit of all items undergoing restoration and transport. Officials said this action was necessary to ensure that the policy gaps that allowed such a theft could be closed.
Members of the public, as well as archaeologists across the globe, expressed concern about the breach of trust and the risks of handling priceless pieces during preparation for international display. The case highlighted the vulnerability of even the most renowned exhibits. While the money from the illegal transactions was recovered, experts underline that the destruction of the bracelet represents an irreversible cultural loss. The incident has sparked fresh debate about museum security, accountability, and artifact management during global exhibitions.
