The Kaipher Editorial Team 
Egyptian authorities are investigating the disappearance of a 3,000-year-old gold bracelet—believed to belong to Pharaoh Amenemope of the 21st Dynasty—from the restoration laboratory of the Egyptian Museum in Cairo’s Tahrir Square. The artifact went missing while being prepared for the “Treasures of the Pharaohs” exhibition scheduled to open in Rome on October 24, 2025 (Daily News Egypt).
Conflicting Royal Attribution
Initial reports attributed the bracelet to King Psusennes I, but Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities later clarified it belonged to King Amenemope (reigned c. 1001–992 BCE). Both pharaohs were interred in Tanis, and their jewelry collections were unearthed together in Pierre Montet’s 1940 excavations. The missing piece is described as “a gold bracelet with a spherical lapis lazuli bead,” weighing approximately 600 grams of pure gold and last seen during packing operations in the museum’s specialized restoration facility (Gulf News).
Investigation and Security Lapses
A specialized committee from the antiquities ministry has inventoried all artifacts in the restoration lab and distributed images of the bracelet to border and customs agencies to thwart smuggling attempts. Investigators face hurdles: the restoration area lacks surveillance cameras, forcing reliance on peripheral museum footage and staff testimonies. All personnel with access to the bracelet have been questioned, and their mobile phones confiscated to aid forensic analysis. The ministry delayed public disclosure to ensure the integrity of the probe (Bloomberg).
Exhibition to Proceed Amid Concerns
Despite the theft, the “Treasures of the Pharaohs” exhibition, featuring 130 artifacts—including Queen Iyahtap’s golden coffin and King Amenemhat’s funerary mask—will open in Rome as planned and run through May 3, 2026. The incident spotlights persistent security vulnerabilities within Egypt’s museum system, even as the country has recovered over 30,000 stolen antiquities since 2014 through legal and diplomatic channels. It underscores the urgent need for enhanced protection measures for Egypt’s irreplaceable archaeological heritage.
