Egyptian authorities have reported the disappearance of a limestone tablet from the Saqqara necropolis, dating back more than 4,000 years, just weeks after a gold bracelet was stolen from the national museum. The antiquities ministry confirmed that the missing tablet came from the tomb of Khenti Ka, a sixth dynasty burial site (circa 2345–2181 BC), which has been closed since 2019.
The ministry said legal procedures are underway, and the case has been referred to public prosecution for investigation. The incident follows a September arrest of a museum employee and three accomplices over the theft of a 3,000-year-old gold bracelet from Cairo’s Egyptian Museum.
The bracelet, dating to the reign of Pharaoh Amenemope, was reportedly sold for around $4,000 and subsequently melted down.
Thefts and smuggling of antiquities are a persistent issue in Egypt, with recent cases including a man sentenced in the United States for attempting to traffic nearly 600 looted artefacts. The latest theft coincides with preparations for the Grand Egyptian Museum’s highly anticipated opening near the Giza Pyramids on November 1.