Investigations underway in Egypt into a sensational ploy designed to deceive tourists.
In the governorate of Beni Suef, about 120 km south of the capital Cairo, a tunnel has in fact been discovered which at first glance would seem to house a tomb dating back to ancient Egyptian times, apparently very well preserved.
Too bad that sarcophagi, statues and artefacts (some gold plated), as well as the hieroglyphs painted on the walls, are not originals, but counterfeits and made in recent times.
According to the Supreme Council of Antiquities , chaired by Mustafa Waziri , the false tomb is even less than a year old and in all probability was created by unscrupulous scammers with the intention of defrauding unwary visitors, making them pay for a ticket to admire trivial imitations .
The entire area was then placed under seizure, while the statues were destroyed by the authorities, who are now trying to trace those responsible for the staging.
(Unioneonline/lf)
