(NewsNation) — Egyptian officials say a rare piece of ancient artwork has vanished from a tomb in Saqqara Necropolis.

The artwork, a 4,000-year-old limestone relief, was reported to have disappeared over the weekend from a Fifth Dynasty tomb. The artifact appeared to have been cut out of the wall of the tomb with an electric saw, according to local media reports.

The tomb belonged to Khenti Ka, a high-ranking official who held titles including "Priest of the Goddess Maat" and "Overseer of the Royal Palace."

"It is not merely a decorative artifact but one that carries profound symbolic meaning related to the cycle of life, agriculture, and fertility in ancient Egyptian belief, which suggests that whoever stole it understood its true value and scholarly significance," said Ali Abu Deshish

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