April 3, 2012: The Israel Antiquities Authority seized two stolen lids of ancient Egyptian coffins smuggled from Egypt to Jerusalem’s Old City via Dubai. Officials believe that the lids were stolen from a coffin containing a mummy and were smuggled from Egypt to Europe, then to Dubai and then Israel. The coffin lids suffered damage caused when the smugglers cut the lids in half.

The elaborate plastered lids are decorated with paintings and hieroglyphics. Israel Antiquities Authority experts dated the coffin lids from between 2,900 and 3,500 years ago, a period that includes the 210 years when Israelite Tribes descended from Israel during a famine, then known as Canaan, to Egypt where they later were subjects of slavery.

Egypt has requested Israel to return the lids and allege the smuggler probably chose Israel as their destination in order to affirm official authentication of their antiquity so they could sell them at a higher price. The coffin lids were discovered during a raid on antique stores in the Old City.

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