How to stop the looting of Egyptian history
What comes to mind when you think of Egypt's archeological history? The mask of King Tut? Representations of Nerfititi? Ornate statues of Cleopatra?
How about looters taking advantage of the political instability since the fall of the Mubarak regime three years ago? In just one recent instance last August, nearly all of the 1100 items in Egypt's Malawi National Museum in the city of Minya were stolen.
Those responsible for the damage range from armed and organized mafia members to impoverished children helping their families scrape together valuable wares.
For insight on how the thefts have threatened the preservation of the country's history, guest host Brent Bambury speaks to archaeologist Monica Hanna.
Last week, Hanna's efforts to recover stolen Egyptian artifacts were recognized by American organization Saving Antiquites for Everyone. She explains her mission, how social media has helped recover some of the lost items, and why removing the puzzle pieces from their context is a loss all its own.