Egypt: Travel guide smeared more than 4,000-year-old pyramid in front of tourists

Cairo – An Egyptian travel guide has been arrested for doodling on the remains of the facade of a millennia-old pyramid. The man admitted the crime. He now faces at least a year in prison and a fine of the equivalent of almost 9,000 euros.

According to the Interior Ministry, the man wanted to explain something to his guests with a drawing – and used the remains of the Unas pyramid’s facade to do this. The tomb of Pharaoh Unas is located in Sakkara, the cemetery of the ancient Egyptian capital Memphis near Cairo.

The pyramid dates from the 5th Dynasty and is therefore over 4,000 years old. Their inscriptions are particularly significant. According to authorities, the scribbles were able to be removed.

A video on social media appears to show the man being caught and confronted. Many users reacted indignantly to the careless treatment of the historical heritage. Egypt wants that tourism crank it up again. Since the Grand National Museum opened in November, awareness of the pharaonic treasures is also growing among the population.