Luc Watrin believes that 20th century tomb-raiders stole the hunk of marble from a Sesostris III-era temple and carved the work themselves, between 50 and 100 years ago.This statuette is a crude copy of a royal effigy, incorporating numerous stylistic anomalies, he said.Yesterday's court appeal seeks to overturn an earlier judgment against Mr Pinault, and aims to have the purchase annulled.