{"id":14041,"date":"2025-09-29T21:49:31","date_gmt":"2025-09-29T19:49:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/?p=14041"},"modified":"2025-09-29T21:49:31","modified_gmt":"2025-09-29T19:49:31","slug":"egyptian-museum","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/en\/egyptian-museum\/","title":{"rendered":"From Low Wages to Lost Treasures: Inside Egypt\u2019s Antiquities Crisis"},"content":{"rendered":"

The theft of a rare artifact dating back to the Third Intermediate Period, known as the Bracelet of King Amenemope<\/em>, estimated to be 3,000 years old, from the restoration storeroom of the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir, has sent shockwaves through archaeological circles. The incident has refocused attention on the challenges facing workers in the antiquities sector, as well as the gaps in securing storerooms and archaeological sites, and the mechanisms to protect heritage from loss or theft.<\/p>\n

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According to a statement issued by the Egyptian Ministry of Interior, the theft took place on September 9 through a \u201cdistraction\u201d method, when a restoration specialist sold the bracelet to a silver trader for 180,000<\/a> pounds ($3,600). The bracelet was later transferred to a gold workshop in the goldsmiths\u2019 district, then to a foundry where it was melted down and reshaped into other jewelry.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

However, several colleagues of the accused restoration specialist revealed background details of the case, which has sparked widespread debate inside and outside Egypt, highlighting the difficult conditions faced by restorers and employees of the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities.<\/p>\n

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The accused, around 45 years old, is a graduate of the Faculty of Archaeology, holding both a master\u2019s and a PhD degree. She began her work as a restoration specialist nearly 13 years ago through a temporary contract that lasted ten years, during which her salary never exceeded 1,200 pounds ($24) per month. After being granted a permanent position, her salary gradually increased until it reached 6,000 pounds ($120) in July, still below the minimum wage of 7,000 pounds ($140), according to her colleague, restoration specialist Hala Saeed (a pseudonym).<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Hala explained that the accused had previously been entrusted with the responsibility of an archaeological storeroom and participated in the restoration of Tutankhamun\u2019s treasures, earning professional respect. Yet she bore heavy personal responsibilities, supporting her only son as well as her ailing mother and brother, with little to no support from the ministry.<\/p>\n

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She told Zawia3<\/em>: \u201cWe were shocked by the news of her arrest and could not believe the charges against her, despite her confession. She was a polite, hardworking colleague, and perhaps living pressures and debts drove her to this. In any case, the ministry bears responsibility for the deterioration of our conditions. The minister himself publicly admitted he does not know how much we are paid. Since the incident, we have been subjected to harsh searches when entering and leaving, as if we were all suspects.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Hala added that the low wages have driven many of her colleagues to take on extra jobs, such as ride-hailing services or working in caf\u00e9s, to meet their needs. She pointed to the recent suicide of a colleague overwhelmed by debts, leaving behind three children. She continued: \u201cWe are required to show discipline every day, even though our wages do not cover the bare minimum for living.\u201d<\/p>\n

She argued that although the ministry generates large revenues in foreign currency as a self-financing body, it does not guarantee the rights of its employees. The ten years she spent under a temporary contract were not counted in her employment record, despite filing a lawsuit to have them recognized. Meanwhile, the wage restructuring plan, which was supposed to increase salaries by 3,000 pounds ($60), has been stalled for two years.<\/p>\n

Hala believes this case should serve as a wake-up call about the dangers of poverty and despair, and how they may drive unlawful acts, calling for urgent reforms within the ministry.<\/p>\n

For his part, Mohamed Hassan, an administrative employee at the Supreme Council of Antiquities, shared the same view, describing working conditions in the sector as \u201cunjust.\u201d He criticized the meager wages of archaeologists and administrators despite their efforts in excavations and archaeological sites, along with the lack of fairness in distributing bonuses and incentives. He argued these conditions could drive some to deviance, citing the \u201cgolden bracelet theft\u201d incident, and criticized Minister Ahmed Issa Abu Hussein, who comes from a non-archaeological background, for focusing more on tourism than antiquities. Meanwhile, about 28,000 employees suffer from wages too low to cover housing, education, and healthcare costs.<\/p>\n

Mohamed noted that deductions for taxes and insurance are taken even from bonuses, reducing their actual value. He added that some employees receive salaries below the minimum wage due to errors in payroll calculations made years ago. Although some employees won court cases to correct this, the rulings have yet to be enforced, forcing many to seek side jobs, such as driving on ride-hailing apps or other marginal work, to survive.<\/p>\n

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The total number of<\/a> employees in Egypt\u2019s tourism and antiquities sector is estimated at around three million. While there are no precise figures for those working specifically in antiquities, scattered data suggests that more than 29,000 employees work at the Supreme Council of Antiquities. The process of converting temporary contracts into permanent posts began in 2016, when workers were registered and added to a database. In 2019,<\/a> 2,544 of them were granted permanent positions.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

As for the archaeological storerooms, there are 72 in total: 35 museum storerooms, 20 for excavation missions, and 17 subsidiary storerooms in various governorates. Egypt also has seven archaeological sites listed on UNESCO\u2019s World Heritage main list, in addition to 32 others on the tentative list.<\/p>\n

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How Did Corruption Infiltrate the Grand Egyptian Museum?<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n