EThekwini Municipality intends to repatriate the Egyptian Mummy of a High Priest to its rightful resting place in the North African state. Photos: Phumla Khwela/ eThekwini Municipality
The over 2 000-year-old Egyptian mummy of a High Priest which has lain in the Durban Natural Science Museum since the end of the 19th century will be repatriated to Egypt.
The eThekwini Municipality said the decision to return the mummy to its rightful resting place in the North African state was taken after extensive deliberation.
eThekwini Municipality spokesperson Gugu Sisilana said the city acknowledged the significance of returning the mummy to its country of origin and honouring its cultural and historical importance to the people of Egypt.
“The National Department of Sport, Arts and Culture and the South African Heritage Resources Agency will provide support to the city in the repatriation process, ensuring that the mummy is returned to Egypt with the utmost respect and care.
“The intent to repatriate the mummy follows a thorough investigation of the circumstances surrounding its presence in Durban, which remain unclear. The Municipality recognises the importance of addressing historical injustices and upholding ethical standards in the preservation and handling of cultural artefacts,” Sisilana said.
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Dr Simphiwe Ndlovu, Head of Parks, Recreation and Culture, said the repatriation process from the museum is expected to take place during the course of the 2024/2025 financial year.
Ndlovu said the repatriation will be conducted in close coordination with Egyptian authorities and in adherence to national and international protocols governing the return of cultural heritage items to their countries of origin.
Sisilana said there are no cost implications to the city at this stage for the repatriation process.
“The City remains committed to upholding principles of cultural preservation, respect for diversity, and ethical stewardship of historical artefacts. This process reflects our dedication to fostering positive and respectful relationships with nations and communities around the world.”
The mummy and coffin date back to the Late Dynastic or Early Ptolemaic period (about 300 BCE) and contain the remains of an Egyptian minor priest named Peten-Amun (Ptn-‘Imn), who came originally from Akhmim (Akhmîm), about 354 km from Cairo, Egypt.
Peten-Amun is said to have died at about 60 years of age.
The Durban mummy is believed to have come from Akhmim, Upper Egypt and was brought to South Africa by Major William Joseph Myers sometime after 1889.
Myers, had previously served in Egypt for five years. He was killed in 1899 at the age of 41, during the Siege of Ladysmith in the Anglo-Boer War in South Africa.
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