Tour guide arrested in Egypt after drawing on an ancient pyramid. What a punishment he risks
Police in Egypt have announced the arrest of a tour guide suspected of drawing on the facade of a pyramid near Cairo while giving explanations to a group of foreign tourists.
The man is caught red-handed drawing on the pyramid. PHOTO: video capture X
The incident came to light after a video recording was published on a social network in which several sketches made by the guide himself appear on the exterior of the ancient monument, informs the DPA agency.
The images caused a lot of critical reactions online. Users accuse an act of vandalism on a major historical site.
According to Fox News, the drawings were made on the pyramid of Unas, located in the Saqqara necropolis near Giza. The pyramid dates back to the 5th Egyptian Dynasty and is known for housing the first inscribed funerary texts, known as “The Pyramid Texts”.
In the video shared online, the man is caught red-handed drawing and questioned for his gesture.
The arrest came after a local antiquities inspector filed a police complaint accusing the tour guide of vandalizing the monument during a tour for tourists. The Egyptian Ministry of the Interior transmitted, in a statement published at the beginning of the week, that during the hearings the guide admitted his deed.
The authorities later intervened to remove the drawings from the monument.
If found guilty, the tour guide faces a prison sentence of at least one year and a fine of up to 500,000 Egyptian pounds (the equivalent of 8,800 euros), according to the legislation in force on the protection of cultural heritage.
