Egyptian law enforcement arrested two men on Monday for stealing 448 ancient Greek and Roman artifacts, intending to sell them illegally on the black market, according to the Interior Ministry.
After questioning, the suspects, one of whom has a criminal record, admitted to retrieving the submerged artifacts from the sea floor of Abu Qir Bay, near Alexandria, the ministry said.
Egyptian forces recovered 448 artifacts, including 53 statues, three statue heads (busts), 12 spears with human-shaped heads, 14 bronze cups, 41 engraved axes, 20 bronze pieces, and 305 engraved coins.
Experts confirmed that all the seized items are authentic antiques from the Greco-Roman era, which lasted from 500 BCE to 400 CE, the ministry said.
The ministry released pictures of the artifacts, which have developed a turquoise color due to layers of patina, a byproduct of bronze oxidation over time.