The Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities revealed further details regarding photos circulated on Facebook, showing grooves on one of the inner walls of Mereruka tomb in the Saqqara archaeological area suggesting vandalism.
The ministry explaining that while the antiquities inspectors of the area were conducting their daily periodic visits to the tombs open for visits in the area they found scratches on one of the inner walls of the tomb.
It continued: “The area managers took all necessary administrative and legal measures and wrote a report on the incident, and investigations proved that one of the area’s visitors wrote on the wall during their visit to the tomb which resulted in the presence of these scratches.”
The restorers of the Supreme Council of Antiquities removed these lines and restored the wall to its original condition in good preservation.
The relevant authorities are currently conducting the necessary investigations to identify the perpetrator and punish him in accordance with the Antiquities Protection Law #117 of 1983.
Article 45 of the law stipulates that anyone who places advertisements or advertising boards, writes, engraves, or paints an antiquity, or accidentally distorts or damages a real estate or movable antiquity, or separates part of it, shall be punished by imprisonment for a period of not less than one year and a fine of not less than LE10,000 and not more than LE500,000, or one of these two penalties.
