Asian, US tour for Egypt's sunken antiquities

Egypt State Information Service

Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities Dr. Zahi Hawwas announced yesterday 19-5-2009 on the sidelines of the Turin International Book Fair that Prime Minister Dr. Ahmed Nazif had agreed on the transfer of the Egyptian Sunken Antiquities Exhibition to a new tour in Japan and the US after the success it achieved in its European tour which included France, Germany, Spain and Italy. The Exhibition will leave the Italian city of Turin, heading for the Japanese city of Yokohama from June to September 2009. Hawwas added that this Exhibition is of top importance given that it is the first time in which these antiquities are displayed outside Egypt after remaining for thousands of years in the sea. The European tour of the Exhibition achieved revenues of $ 5 million after being on display in Berlin, Bonn, Paris, Madrid and Turin. The Exhibition comprises of 489 rare artifacts which were extracted off the Mediterranean in Alexandria.