The Hague, Netherlands – The Netherlands has returned a 3,500-year-old Egyptian statue to Egypt after the looted artifact appeared at a Dutch art exhibition in 2022. An investigation by the Dutch police and the Cultural Heritage Inspectorate in 2025 confirmed that the statue had been stolen and illegally removed from Egypt, most likely during the unrest of 2011. The statue subsequently appeared on the international art market. The artifact, a stone head that was part of a larger statue, originated in Luxor, southern Egypt, and is attributed to a high-ranking official during the reign of King Thutmose III (1479–1425 BC). The official handover ceremony took place in the presence of the Egyptian Ambassador to The Hague, Emad Hanna, and the Dutch Minister of Education, Culture and Science. The Spanish Ambassador to the Netherlands, representing her government, was also present. A receipt was signed at the ceremony.
The Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that the recovery process was carried out in coordination between the Egyptian Embassy in The Hague, the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, and the Public Prosecutor’s Office. It was also conducted in close cooperation with the Dutch Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Culture. This was done to ensure the completion of all legal and technical procedures and to verify the artifact’s integrity before its return to Egypt. Egypt stated that this step reflects international cooperation in combating the illicit trafficking of antiquities and serves as a model for the voluntary return of looted cultural property.
It is worth noting that Dutch Prime Minister Dick Choof informed the Egyptian President in November 2025 of his government’s decision to return the stone head, on the sidelines of the opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum. Egypt expressed its sincere appreciation for the efforts of the Dutch government and relevant authorities. It also commended the role of the Spanish National Police in uncovering the falsification of ownership documents. Egypt emphasized the spirit of international cooperation in protecting cultural heritage.
