Seventeen Egyptian artefacts have been formally returned to the Government of the Arab Republic of Egypt in a handover held at the Australian Parliament House.

Eleven out of 17 archaeological objects returned to Egypt, including a significant wooden statue of the goddess Isis.

A wooden statue of the goddess Isis from the Ptolemaic period (332–30 BCE), presumed to have been displayed near the ruling king due to its flecks of gold, is one of 17 archaeological objects that have been returned to Egypt at a handover in Canberra.

Also amongst the returned objects is a sarcophagus panel depicting Nut, goddess of the sky and mother of Isis (664–30 BCE), and a mummy case (1570–332 BCE). A variety of returned jars and vases dating from as early as the Naqada II period (3,500–3,200 BCE) to the Ptolemaic period (332–30 BCE) are also included.

Most of the objects had been purchased online. They were imported into Australia from the United States of America on separate occasions, and detected by the Australian Border Force. The Office for the Arts seized the objects under the Protection of Movable Cultural Heritage Act 1986, which provides for a return of foreign cultural property which has been illegally exported at any time in the past and subsequently imported to Australia after the commencement of the Act.

In its request for the return of the objects Egypt has asserted that they are of absolute archaeologic, historic and scientific importance, and that they have been protected under Egypt's cultural heritage laws since 1835.

The return of the objects comes at a significant time, with this year marking the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Egypt and Australia.

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