Memphis Aug 28 (BUS): Federal agents in Memphis have seized an ancient Egyptian artifact dating back 3,000 years that had been shipped from Europe.
US Customs and Border Protection said it intercepted the lid of the Egyptian canopic urn of a funeral deity named Emste on August 17.
Urns were used to carry the internal organs of the mummies.
The agency said the item was sent from a merchant to a private buyer in the United States and that the shipper made contradictory statements about its value, the Associated Press (AP) reported.
Experts at the University of Memphis’ Institute of Art and Archeology helped determine the authenticity of the artifact.
The agency says the cap is likely from 1069 BC to 653 BC
Authorities say the item is protected by bilateral treaties and is an archaeological import subject to confiscation under the 1983 Cultural Property Implementation Act Agreement.
The artifact was handed over to Homeland Security Investigations for further examination.
ZHB