A 4,000-year-old limestone relief depicting the three seasons of the ancient Egyptian calendar has been stolen from the Saqqara necropolis near Cairo. The relief, measuring 16 by 24 inches, was cut from the wall of a Fifth Dynasty tomb belonging to high-ranking official Khenti Ka using an electric saw. Egypt's Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities reported the theft on Sunday, and an archaeological committee has been formed to inventory the tomb's contents while the matter is under investigation by the Public Prosecution.
The theft is significant because the relief is not merely decorative but carries profound symbolic meaning related to the cycle of life, agriculture, and fertility in ancient Egyptian belief, suggesting the thief understood its scholarly value. The incident follows another recent theft at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, where a 3,000-year-old gold bracelet was stolen and melted down for a small sum, highlighting ongoing security challenges at Egypt's archaeological sites and museums.