Ancient Egyptian ushabti statue that went missing from the storage room of a museum in Aswan in 2013 was recovered in London. The artefact dates 3800 years to the past.

Ushabti statues were small figurines that were placed in tombs, intended to function as servants or assistants to the deceased in the afterlife. The artefact dates back to the time of ancient Egypt’s Middle Kingdom, around the reign of the 12th Dynasty (ca 1990-1775 BC). It was originally discovered by Spanish archaeologists at the Qubbet al-Hawa Necropolis in Aswan. The ancient artefact, measuring 16 centimetres in hight was reportedly handed over voluntarily after the individual learned that it had been stolen and smuggled out of Egypt years earlier. It is reportedly in the process of being repatriated to Egypt. The funerary figurine is carved from wood and gilded in golden inscriptions. The statue was handed over to the Egyptian Embassy in London after a trustee from the British Museum discovered it in the possession of an English citizen. It is reportedly in the process of being repatriated to Egypt.

(after MadaMasr & Egypt Independent)