0

If I want to create some 3D models of the pyramids and the Sphinx for a mobile app, do I need to obtain the permission or purchase the license from anyone or from the Egyptian government ?

It seems that Egypt has tried to copyright all their antiquities in 2007 and 2008. But, I am not sure if that effort has been successful or not ?

Wikipedia has a page describe Egypt's plan to copyright their antiquities as follows:

Proposal to copyright antiquities

In late 2007, reports surfaced in the media that Egypt intended to pass a law requiring the payment of royalties whenever copies were made of its antiquities and monuments. Zahi Hawass, the head of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, told AFP news agency that the law would not affect buildings such as the Luxor Las Vegas hotel because it was not an exact copy of a pyramid and its interior was completely different.[10] BBC News stated that "MPs are expected to pass" the law, although it is unclear whether the proposal ever made it through Parliament.[11]

Here is the full link from Wiki:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copyright_law_of_Egypt

ohwilleke
  • 211,353
  • 14
  • 403
  • 716
Job_September_2020
  • 268
  • 2
  • 8

1 Answers1

3

Wikimedia commons usually summarize the relevant laws for a country quite well. Here's the page for Egypt, which does not mention anything unusual regarding cultural heritage, only National Folklore, but that is not affected here. Since the standard copyright term in Egypt is 50 years after the death of the author, the pyramids are clearly PD, unless the builder of the pyramids was an immortal.

PMF
  • 5,583
  • 2
  • 19
  • 41
  • 1
    But does being converted into a vampire or immortal mummy count as a death as you need to die to achieve immortality that way? – Trish Mar 26 '24 at 09:39
  • I guess the question whether a vampire or an undead or even a god is "alive" is outside the scope of this SE... – PMF Mar 26 '24 at 09:43
  • I would argue that the pyramids of Giza were a work for hire, so copyright is based on publication date, not (un-)death of the architect. – Philipp Mar 26 '24 at 13:49
  • @Philipp That "work for hire" is an US-only concept. I'm not sure about Egypt, but the European regulations I know don't have such a rule, and the copyright expires 50 or 70 years after the death of the author, regardless of the employment status or contract he/she was in. – PMF Mar 26 '24 at 15:06