Tour Guide In Egypt Draws On 4,000-Year-Old Pyramid, Video Leads To His Arrest

A tour guide has been arrested after allegedly drawing on the 4,000-year-old Pyramid of Unas in Saqqara. According to a statement issued Monday by the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, the Saqqara Tourist Police Station received a complaint from a local antiquities inspector reporting that the guide had altered a historic monument, Egypt Today reported. The inspector said the man used chalk to draw on the pyramid's outer stones while leading a tour group.

Videos circulating online show the guide sketching what appeared to be a diagram in chalk as he explained something to a group of tourists. The person filming the video confronted the guide, who reportedly responded by asking, "Are you sane?"

The act was widely condemned as vandalism of an ancient site. Authorities later confirmed that the chalk markings were removed by specialists.

Watch the video here:

النهارده فى سقاره عند هرم أوناس لقيت الاستاذ المحترم اللى عرفت بعد كده انه مرشد روسى
البيه معاه طباشير وبيرسم على الهرم ولما اتكلمت معاه بالأدب وقولتله ده غلط قالى هو انت عاقل بصراحه معرفتش ارد علىه وبيقولى زى ما سمعته فى الفيديو ان دى احجار مضافة الاستاذ اللى بيقولى انه دكتور pic.twitter.com/gCdCyTWitw

— Mahmoud Etman (@TmanMhmwd6220) February 22, 2026

The guide, identified as Al-Amir, was taken into custody and, during questioning, admitted to drawing on the structure. Legal action has since been initiated against him.

He later issued a video apology, calling his actions a "grave mistake" and claiming they were unintentional. The Tourist Guides Syndicate has since suspended him.

Under Article 45 of Egypt's 1983 Antiquities Protection Law, anyone found guilty of writing on or defacing an antiquity faces a minimum prison sentence of one year and a fine that can reach 500,000 Egyptian pounds.

The Pyramid of Unas

The Pyramid of Unas is a smooth-sided pyramid located in Saqqara, Egypt, built for Pharaoh Unas, the ninth and last ruler of the Fifth Dynasty of Ancient Egypt (c. 2350 BC). It's one of the smaller pyramids, but significant for being the first to feature the Pyramid Texts, a collection of spells and prayers meant to guide the pharaoh's journey to the afterlife.

The Pyramid Texts found inside are a treasure trove of ancient Egyptian religious beliefs and practices.

The pyramid was discovered in 1881 and has undergone several excavations. It originally stood 43 metres high with a base length of approximately 58 metres.The walls are lined with fine white alabaster, incised with blue-painted hieroglyphs. The gabled ceiling is decorated with golden five-pointed stars on a deep blue background to represent the night sky.

The Pyramid of Unas is generally open to the public and is often included in a standard Saqqara entry ticket.