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Summary Horrified archaeologists and antiquities authorities are scrambling to prevent smuggling.
Taking advantage of Egypts political upheaval, thieves have gone on a treasure hunt with a spree of illegal digging, preying on the countrys ancient pharaonic heritage.Illegal digs near ancient temples and in isolated desert sites have swelled a staggering 100-fold over the past 16 months since a popular uprising toppled Hosni Mubaraks 29-year regime and security fell apart in many areas as police simply stopped doing their jobs. The pillaging comes on top of a wave of break-ins last year at archaeological storehouses and even at Cairos famed Egyptian Museum, the countrys biggest repository of pharaonic artifacts.Horrified archaeologists and antiquities authorities are scrambling to prevent smuggling, keeping a watch on European and American auction houses in case stolen artifacts show up there. Criminals became so bold they are digging in landmark areas. including near the Great Pyramids in Giza, other nearby pyramids and the grand temples of the southern city of Luxor, said Maj.-Gen. Abdel-Rahim Hassan, commander of the Tourism and Antiquities Police Department.It is no longer a crime motivated by poverty, its naked greed and it involves educated people, he said. In a country with more than 5,000 years of civilization buried under its sands, illegal digs have long been a problem. With only slight exaggeration, Egyptians like to joke you can dig anywhere and turn up something ancient, even if its just pottery shards or a statuette.But in the security void, the treasure hunting has mushroomed, with 5,697 cases of illegal digs since the start of the anti-Mubarak uprising in early 2011 100 times more than the previous year, according to figures obtained by The Associated Press from the Interior Ministry, which is in charge of police.
