Antiquities Minister Mamdouh Damaty underlined on Sunday the importance of “Egypt's Sunken Treasures” Exhibition, to be held in Paris, as being the first Egyptian exhibition to be held outside the country after January 25 revolution.

Overseas exhibitions were put on hold due to the critical condition the country has been passing through after the revolution, he said in statements before leaving for Paris to open the event.

The exhibition, titled this time "Osiris, Sunken Mysteries of Egypt", presents over 250 objects found during the last seven years of archaeological excavations made by the French underwater archaeology team in Alexandria. These works have never before been exhibited in public. They will be presented alongside objects on loan from the museums of Cairo and Alexandria.

Such exhibitions play an important role in promoting tourism in Egypt and boost national economy, the minister noted.

The exhibition aims to revive one of the great legends of the foundation of the Egyptian civilization, the Mysteries of Osiris.

Damaty said the ministry is working hard to recover all Egyptian artifacts that were smuggled from the country, adding that the ministry managed till now to restore 717 pieces.

Around 16 artifacts will be soon restored from Australia, he added.

Source: MENA