The eminent Egyptian Museum in the midst of anti-government protest in Egypt was raided on Saturday by people who beheaded two mummies and damaged a dozen small objects until they were captured by soldiers, according to the national head of antiquities, Zahi Hawass.

The official said the vandals could not steal any of the antiquities museum, and the priceless collection was already safe place and military protection.

As the protests continued for a fifth day in the country, amid chaos in the streets, there was the fear that other parts of the country with ancient treasures could be attacked by looters, and the military sent soldiers in armored vehicles Pyramids of Giza, the temple of Luxor and other important archaeological monuments.

Hawass said that the integrity of the Egyptian Museum is now facing its biggest threat for a possible collapse of the adjacent building that was torched ruling party.

"What scares me is that if this building is destroyed, it will fall on the museum," Hawass said as she watched firefighters spray water to the headquarters of the ruling party still in flames.

The museum, visited each year by millions of tourists attracted particularly by the gold funerary mask of King Tutankhamun, also houses thousands of artifacts dating back to the rich history of the pharaohs of Egypt.

"It is the great repository of Egyptian art. This is the treasure chest of the finest sculptures and treasures of literally 4,000 years of history," he said in a telephone statement the director of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Thomas Campbell . "If it is damaged by looting or fire, would be a loss for humanity."

The museum is close to some of the most intense protests from opponents who roam the capital.

A team of The Associated Press Television News, he received permission to enter the museum, noted that two mummies were damaged and at least 10 small objects were removed from their glass windows and damaged.

Before the soldiers arrived, a man asked the people gathered outside the museum in Tahrir Square not to loot the room, shouting: "We are not Baghdad!". After the invasion of Iraq in 2003, thousands of pieces of Baghdad's National Museum were stolen, and only a few have been recovered.

Suddenly, young men, some armed with police batons, formed a human chain that was wagered at the main entrance of the museum in an attempt to protect the works inside.

"I stand here to defend and protect our national treasures," said engineer Farid Saad, 40.

When the soldiers appeared to have stopped to potential looters, those lined up. One man was led to the row and a crowd in front of the museum gate shouted "Thief, thief!". A couple of soldiers then beat him with their guns and sat with the others, who were apparently caught in the interior.