An Egyptian artefact has been repatriated after being put on for sale at a London auction house. The item had been illegally smuggled out of Egypt, where it had been displayed at the Karnak Open Air Museum in Luxor.

The item is a relief tablet bearing the cartouche of King Amenhotep I. When Egyptian authorities realised it was put for auction through the hall’s website they followed the necessary procedure to stop the sale of the artefact.

A close cooperation of the Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities, the
Egyptian Ministry of Foreign affairs, the Egyptian Embassy in London and British authorities led to  the repatriation of the relief earlier this week.

No details on how the item was taken and smuggled out of the country or when that occurred have been issued.