Distinguished Egyptian archaeologist and former Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Zahi Hawass initiated a petition to return Queen Nefertiti’s bust from the Neues Museum in Berlin. The petition, which started on 7 September, is part of a wider campaign by Hawass seeking the return to Egypt of illegally extracted artifacts. The campaign also aims to return the Rosetta Stone from the British Museum and the Dendera Zodiac from the Louvre. Nefertiti’s Bust Nefertiti’s bust is world-renowned for its iconic beauty. For around 17 years, Nefertiti ruled Egypt as Queen alongside her husband Akhenaten, the Pharaoh famous for attempting to make Egypt monotheistic. The bust was discovered in 1912 by German Egyptologist Ludwig Borchardt in Tell Al-Amarna, 300 kilometers south of Cairo. The archaeological mission was funded by Germany and authorized by Egypt, with an agreement that the 10,000 artifacts uncovered were to be split evenly between both nations. Germany argues that Egyptian authorities consented to Germany acquiring the famous bust. However, Egyptologist Monica Hanna insists Borchardt deceived Egyptian authorities illegally by not accurately detailing the bust in the report of his findings, using fraudulent paperwork, and concealing its historical value….
Germany Must Return Nefertiti’s Bust to Egypt: Zahi Hawass Launches Campaign
September 9, 2024
