Pharaoh's hair on display again

It follows their return last week after spending more than 30 years in France.

The small tufts of 3,000-year-old hair were stolen when the mummy was sent to France for conservation work in 1976.

The theft came to light when the hair was put up for auction on the internet last November. French police arrested a man over their sale.

'Wonderful mission'

Ramses II ruled Egypt from 1279 to 1213 BC.

The man, Jean-Michel Diebolt, said he had inherited the hair from his late father, a researcher who had been part of the team which analysed the mummy.

Police seized small plastic sachets and boxes from Mr Diebolt's home in the French Alpine town of Grenoble.

RAMSES II

• He reigned from 1279 to 1213 BC
• He was one of ancient Egypt's most prolific builders
• Temples and statues in honour of him have been found all over Egypt

He had advertised the remains for sale for a price of 2,000 euros (£1,360).

Egyptian antiquities official Ahmed Saleh travelled to Paris last week to oversee the return of the locks of hair.

"It was wonderful mission. I felt very great when I had the lock of hair of Ramses II in my hand," he was quoted as saying by the Associated Press.

Egypt's antiquities chief, Zahi Hawass, said the internet was an important tool in tracking down stolen antiquities.

"We open the internet everyday, and the most important source you have are my spies,» Hawass was quoted by AP as saying.

"I have spies all over the world, and those spies, they inform me every day of things you would not believe."

The remains of Ramses were sent to France for treatment to stop the spread of a rare fungus.

The hair will eventually be put on display with the mummified body of the pharaoh.