Precious artifact was cut in half, likely by smugglers

Even a mummy case has made its exodus from Egypt to Jerusalem for Passover.

A wooden mummy lid with intricate details and painted hieroglyphics from the thousands of years ago has somehow made its way to the ancient old city of Jerusalem, Israel Antiquities Authority said on Tuesday according to Haaretz.

Israeli authorities believe the ancient Egyptian coffin lid was a product of a black market transaction — smuggled out of Egypt to Dubai then Europe before it made its way to the Holy Land just in time for Passover.

The precious ancient artifact was found sliced in half, causing irreversible damage. It was likely done by the smugglers to make it easier to carry across borders without detection, Fox News reports.

Coffins like the one this lid came from usually hold mummies from the time of the pharaohs. Auorities are uncertain about what happened to the preserved human corpse from 10th and eighth centuries B.C., according to Fox News.

Ancient Egyptian artifacts from the time of the pharoahs have been common items on the black market for hundreds of years.

Israeli officials are hoping to implement a new law to combat the illegal business.

“The new regulation will provide us with the tools in order to prevent the importation into the country of antiquities that were stolen or plundered in other countries, thus enabling us to thwart the international cycle of robbery and trade in stolen archaeological artifacts,” Shai Bar-Tura, inspector in charge of overseeing the antiquities trade in Israel said, according to Fox News.

The fight against black market trade of ancient artifacts is taking place in Egypt as well. The North African nation’s “Indiana Jones” Zahi Hawass — was charged on Monday for wasting public money and stealing Egyptian antiquities, Ahram reports.

Hawass, the former minister of state for antiquities, had a close relationship with the former president´s wife, Suzanne Mubarak, and her nonstate organization.

He is accused of selling state-owned artifacts to raise money for Suzanne Mubarak’s association, the Egyptian newspaper reports.

Hawass is charged with agreeing to transfer 143 objects from the Egyptian Museum to the U.S in 2003. The antiquities remain outside of Egypt, Ahram reports. (© Copyright 2012 NYDailyNews.com. 04/05/12)