What is the "Souvenir Shop Fake Papyrus and Alabaster" scam in Sharm El Sheikh?

Question

Accepted Answer

Shops in the Old Market and along the Na'ama Bay pedestrian strip sell mass-produced banana-leaf sheets as authentic papyrus and plastic-resin figurines as genuine alabaster, charging premium prices suited to the real items. Authentic papyrus has a distinctive layered cross-hatch structure when held to light; banana leaf is uniformly smooth. Both are legal to sell but are routinely misrepresented as genuine. Hold papyrus sheets up to light before purchasing — real papyrus shows a grid of crossed fibres; fake versions are uniformly smooth. For alabaster, genuine stone is cool to the touch and has natural veining; plastic is warm and uniform. Buy from shops displaying certificates of authenticity from the Egyptian Tourism Authority.

Street Scams in Sharm El Sheikh

Souvenir Shop Fake Papyrus and Alabaster

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