Collection of ten Graeco-Roman and Byzantine coins seized at Cairo International Airport

Nevine El-Aref , Tuesday 1 Mar 2022

The archaeological unit at Cairo International Airport — in cooperation with the Cairo Airport Police — seized earlier in the week ten Graeco-Roman and Byzantine coins along with a metal Coptic cross in the possession of a passenger.

Coins
A photo shows some of the Graeco-Roman and Byzantine coins seized in the possession of a passenger at Cairo International Airport. Press photo

Hamdi Hammam, the head of the Central Administration of Ports and Archaeological Units at the Supreme Council of Antiquities, explained that the archaeological committee assigned to examine the coins and cross confirmed their authenticity and took all necessary legal measures to confiscate the seized items for the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities in accordance with the Antiquities Protection Law No. 117 of 1983 and its amendments.

 

Moamen Saad, the director-general of the Archaeological Unit at Cairo Airport, pointed out that the seized items include a metal Coptic cross dating back to the period between the fourth and eighth centuries AD that it is decorated with geometric motifs and has an opening for hanging.

Additionally, one of the ten coins dates back to the Byzantine era while the other nine have different shapes and sizes depicting Greek emperors and inscriptions.

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