Fugitive suspects create fake ancient tomb to deceive antiquities dealers

The Egyptian security authorities have revealed on Friday that a group of suspects created a fake cemetery in al-Hiba area in al-Fashn region, Beni Suef, as a trick to deceive antiquities dealers.

The fake cemetery contains painted fake hieroglyphics, a coffin made out of gypsum, statues,5,450 coins from the Greco-Roman era, and a few gold-plated gypsums to resemble gold ingots to use in defrauding other antiquity dealers.

Last week, Secretary General of Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities Moustafa Waziri said he headed to the tomb and found that the paintings on the wall do not belong to the ancient Egyptian civilization.

The all artefacts that found in cemetery were made of fiber and gypsum, bought from Khan al-Khalili markets, while the drawings were taken from drawing books about Ancient Egypt, said the director of Beni Suef’s southern archaeological, Jasser Nadi.

Based on the findings of an inquiry conducted by antiquities investigators, the prosecution said it concluded that the suspects, who were identified, created the fake tomb with the purpose of defrauding would-be antiquities traffickers.