How easy is it to buy part of a pyramid? There is video footage that shows it’s as simple as shopping in an open air market. The journalists in the footage offered 30$, for two rocks and were allowed to wander round the ancient site at Giza, picking out their purchases.
The carriage owner says his big deals are with foreigners. He can sell for up to 500 Euros. And that the police can’t arrest anyone, everyone is taking antiquites and no one gets caught. Not this time though. The video went viral, and within hours three suspects were arrested. The journalists were charged as well for inciting theft and damaging the country’s image. Antiquity experts are not impressed.
‘There’s always been rumors and talks around and news around that people who are selling here or there. It was not a great surprise, but it was quite depressing that it’s still happening’ Bassam EL Shammaa, Author in Egyptology
The pyramids area is notorious for its poor supervision. No one is supposed to climb on these pyramids. But last week a German tourist did exactly that reaching the top of the Great Pyramid for some spectacular pictures. He’s been banned from Egypt for life. Experts say the stories may be embarrassing but they’re also a wake-up call.
It was not the first incident of selling antiquities that was made public. Stealing Egyptian ancient Heritage is a huge underground business, which experts say is worth millions of dollars. And unless the government deals with it differently Egypt will keep losing these priceless artifacts.
