UCC to return ancient mummy, sarcophagus and other artefacts to Egypt

The mummy was gifted to the university in 1928 and following lengthy talks, it has been agreed to repatriate it to Cairo next year

The mummy is contained in an ornate sarcophagus and will be sent back along with four Canopic jars. Picture: Denis Mortell Photography

University College Cork is set to give the Egyptian government back an ancient mummy and associated artifacts which it has had in its possession for nearly 100 years.

The mummy was gifted to the university in 1928 and following lengthy talks between UCC, the Egyptian embassy, the Department of Foreign Affairs and the National Museum of Ireland it has been agreed to repatriate it to Cairo next year.

The mummy and a sarcophagus — which are separate pieces — will be sent back along with four Canopic jars, which contain remains of the organs removed from the person when they died. This was done as part of ancient Egyptian funeral rites.

The mummy is contained in an ornate sarcophagus and will be sent back along with four Canopic jars. Picture: Denis Mortell Photography

UCC said the artefacts date from around 975BCE to 100AD.

The mummy was given to UCC by African Missioners from Cork’s Blackrock Road. At the time it was said to be an ‘Egyptian Queen’ because the coffin was excavated sometime between 1903 and 1904, from tombs in the Valley of the Queens.

The canopic jars contain remains of the organs removed from the person when they died. This was done as part of ancient Egyptian funeral rites. Picture: Denis Mortell Photography

However, later studies showed the remains are that of a male, between 45 and 50 years old.

The mummy was stored in various parts of the university over the years, including its medical museum, pathology lecture theatre and the Boole Library.

A plan has been drawn up for the safe preparation and transportation of the artifacts to Egypt.

UCC President Professor John O’Halloran said the university takes seriously the care of its heritage assets and is pleased to be in a position to present these objects to the Egyptian State.

“I wish to thank all stakeholders for their assistance in developing a programme for the return of these items, particularly His Excellency Mohamed Sarwat Selim, Egyptian Ambassador to Ireland, Minister Simon Coveney and his officials at the Department of Foreign Affairs, and the National Museum of Ireland,” Prof O’Halloran said.

The Egyptian Ambassador to Ireland, His Excellency Mohamed Sarwat Selim said he wanted to emphasise the utmost importance of the ongoing co-between UCC and the Egyptian State through the Embassy of the Arab Republic of Egypt in Dublin,” in seeking the return of the Egyptian mummy and the set of the canopic jars to our homeland.” 

 Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney said he’s delighted his department and our embassy in Cairo had been able to facilitate and support this important project, led by UCC and President John O’Halloran, "and including an ambitious creative programme by one of our finest artists on the global stage, Dorothy Cross.” 

The objects’ journey home to Egypt is to be documented in ‘Kinship’ a creative project led by artist Dr Dorothy Cross, and creative producer Mary Hickson.

Dr Cross said: "The essence of Kinship is the return of a mummified body of an Egyptian man from Ireland to Cairo, mirroring the tragic displacement and migration of thousands of people from their homelands today - linking one man through time. Kinship will memorialise his journey through film, writing and visual art.”