The Egyptian authorities have demanded the return from Scotland of the mummy of the ancient priest Nekht, who lived around 4,000 years ago. The remains in question are held at the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum in Glasgow, reports Bloomberg.
Egypt's Minister of Tourism, Sherif Fathi, said he was holding talks with the Scottish side and taking the necessary steps for the possible return of the mummy.
At the end of October, the museum had already removed Nekht's remains from display. The reason was the absence of the "consent of the deceased" or of his descendants to the public display of the remains. Such consent is required under the recently updated ethical rules of the International Council of Museums.
For many years Egypt has sought the return of ancient artefacts taken out of the country. In August 2025, 13 smuggled artefacts were returned there from Germany and the United Kingdom. In 2003, the mummy of the pharaoh Ramesses I, stolen in the 19th century, was also returned to Egypt.
The priest Nekht lived roughly between 1985 and 1797 BC. His tomb and remains were discovered in the early 20th century during excavations at Beni Hasan. In 1923, the mummy was donated to Glasgow together with a painted wooden sarcophagus.
