10 Greek, Roman & Byzantine coins, Coptic cross seized at Cairo International Airport

CAIRO – 1 March 2022: The archaeological unit at Cairo International Airport, in cooperation with the Cairo Airport Police, seized 10 Greek, Roman and Byzantine coins, and a Coptic cross made of metal in the possession of a passenger.

Head of the Central Administration of Ports and Archaeological Units Hamdi Hammam explained that as soon as the Archaeological Unit at the airport received a report from the airport police that some antiquities were suspected of being in the possession of a passenger, an archaeological committee was formed headed by Director General of the Archaeological Unit at Cairo Airport Moemen Saad for examination.

The seized coins - Min. of Tourism & Antiquities

The archaeological committee confirmed the seizures to be relics, and accordingly, all necessary legal measures were taken towards confiscating the seized items for the benefit of the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, in accordance with the Antiquities Protection Law No. 117 of 1983 and its amendments.

The seized Coptic cross - Min. of Tourism & Antiquities

For his part, Director General of the Archaeological Unit at Cairo International Airport Moemen Saad indicated that the seized items are a metal Coptic cross dating back to the period between the fourth and eighth centuries AD. It is made of metal decorated with circular motifs, and has a hole for hanging.

This is in addition to nine metal coins of different shapes and sizes with inscriptions of some emperors and some Greek writings, and one circular metal coin dating back to the Byzantine era.