Prominent Egyptian archaeologist and former antiquities minister Zahi Hawass has initiated a petition seeking the return of Queen Nefertiti’s pharaonic bust from the Neues Museum in Berlin to Egypt.
The renowned painted limestone bust of Nefertiti was discovered in 1912 by a German archaeological team at Tell el-Amarna, about 300 km (185 miles) south of Cairo, and was sent to Berlin the following year.
Tell el-Amarna served as the brief capital of Nefertiti’s husband, Pharaoh Akhenaten, who ruled during the 18th dynasty until around 1335 B.C. Akhenaten, often referred to as the heretic king, was known for promoting the worship of the god Aten over Egypt’s other deities, and his reign marked a significant shift in Egyptian art.
In the petition launched on Saturday, Hawass called for the return of the bust, asserting that it was taken from Egypt illegally after its discovery. “We announce today that Egypt – this is the national committee, it is not a government committee – asks for the return of the bust of Nefertiti,” Hawass stated.
He urged the public to support the cause, saying, “What I need from everyone here is to go to my website… hawasszahi.com, and you will sign, one signature, to show that you would love for this bust to come back.”
Hawass clarified that he is not demanding the repatriation of artefacts that were legally taken from Egypt. His campaign specifically targets “three main beautiful objects,” including the bust of Nefertiti, the Rosetta Stone, and the Dendera Zodiac. Officials from Berlin’s Neues Museum were not immediately available for comment.
