(NewsNation) — Egyptian officials say a rare piece of ancient artwork has vanished from a tomb in Saqqara Necropolis.
The artwork, a 4,000-year-old limestone relief, was reported to have disappeared over the weekend from a Fifth Dynasty tomb. The artifact appeared to have been cut out of the wall of the tomb with an electric saw, according to local media reports.
The tomb belonged to Khenti Ka, a high-ranking official who held titles including "Priest of the Goddess Maat" and "Overseer of the Royal Palace."
"It is not merely a decorative artifact but one that carries profound symbolic meaning related to the cycle of life, agriculture, and fertility in ancient Egyptian belief, which suggests that whoever stole it understood its true value and scholarly significance," said Ali Abu Deshish, an archaeologist.
Egyptian officials acknowledged the Fifth Dynasty tomb had not been open since 2019, after having been completely sealed. It was used as a storage space for antiquities since its discovery over 70 years ago.
The latest theft comes just weeks after officials announced that a golden bracelet had been stolen from the Egyptian Museum by a restoration worker who had sold it for less than $4,000.