Cairo - A collection of 38 pieces of ancient Roman jewellery unearthed in 1905 are missing from the National Egyptian Museum, the secretary-general of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities Zahi Hawwas announced on Sunday.
Hawwas said the 36 bracelets and two rings, all made of gold and dating back to the Roman period, were unearthed in 1905 in an area known as Apollo's Hill in the Beheira governorate, 160km north of Cairo.
The announcement comes after two weeks of unconfirmed media reports that 38 gold pieces from King Tutankhamun's treasures had gone missing.
Hawwas strongly denied that any of Tutankhamun's treasures were missing.
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The Egyptian official said the jewellery may have been lost in the museum basement as a result of "negligence or other administrative reasons related to participation in exhibitions".
"The next few days will clarify matters. A committee will review all 60 000 items in the museum, particularly the ancient jewellery section and the King Tutankhamun treasure," he said.
If it was discovered that theft was the cause, "it would have taken place before 2000 when an advanced security system was installed at the museum," he said. - Sapa-dpa
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