A popular make-up artist and influencer has come under fire on TikTok after posting a video of an ancient Egyptian artefact she said she had purchased, with many claiming it could have been stolen in the past given the Western world's history of looting goods.
Erin Parsons has over 600,000 followers on TikTok and in a since deleted video showed off an ancient Egyptian cosmetics spoon she had purchased at an auction.
Although it's not known whether this particular piece was stolen at any point, Parsons still faced a tonne of backlash with many - including several Egyptian nationals - criticising her for her purchase, with some telling her she should return it to Egypt.
Parsons, who identifies herself as a 'vintage collector', often shows vintage makeup tools and said of the spoon: "This is an ancient Egyptian cosmetic spoon from around the 18th dynasty."
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Other TikTok users have reacted angrily to Erin's video.
One user responded: "As an Egyptian... things like these should really not be outside my country. They're almost certainly stolen."
Parsons replied to this by saying: "What I know is that it was in a private collection since the 1980s. I found it at an auction online and added it to my makeup collection."
TikToker @islammc_ stitched Parson's video and offered his own commentary on the matter, stating: "This is one of this things I thought I'd never see on TikTok.
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"A white woman flexing an ancient Egyptian artefact to use for makeup.
"As an Egyptian it makes my blood boil, because not only has she 'acquired' an ancient Egyptian artefact, she's telling people how to get others."
He went on to share a screenshot of an alleged comment left by Parsons in which she advised: "There are galleries that specialize in ancient artefacts and sell online.
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"Def look into it for yours."
@islammc_ continued: "Although she made a video saying she never knew they were stolen, how do you think you get your hands on ancient Egyptian artefacts? Did you think us Egyptians were handing them out in good heart?
"Contact the minister of antiquities and return it."
LADbible has contacted Erin Parsons for a comment.
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The West has a long history of making trade off the sales of stolen artefacts from countries it has previously invaded or occupied. Back in May, Aboriginal spears stolen when Captain Cook landed in Australia were finally be returned to their traditional owners.
It's been 251 years since the British coloniser took the spears from the Gweagal people in what's now known as Kurnell in Sydney's south.
They eventually made their way to Trinity College in Cambridge's Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology in England and that's where they had been ever since. However, the museum has since agreed to return them.
Featured Image Credit: TikTok