Renowned Egyptian archaeologist Zahi Hawass has initiated a petition demanding the return of the iconic Queen Nefertiti bust to Egypt.
The celebrated artifact, currently housed at the Neues Museum in Berlin, was unearthed in 1912 by a German archaeological team at Tell el-Amarna, about 300 km south of Cairo. The following year, it was transported to Berlin.
Tell el-Amarna was the brief capital of Pharaoh Akhenaten, Nefertiti's husband, who ruled during Egypt's 18th Dynasty until around 1335 B.C. Akhenaten is remembered for his revolutionary religious reforms, advocating for the sole worship of the god Aten and introducing a new artistic style in Egyptian history.
Hawass claims the Nefertiti bust was stolen from Egypt and is now seeking support to bring it back. In his online petition, launched Saturday, he urges the public to visit his website, hawasszahi.com, to sign and express their desire for the artifact’s return.
His campaign targets repatriating three significant objects: the Nefertiti bust, the Rosetta Stone, and the Dendera Zodiac.
While Berlin museum officials have yet to comment on the petition, Hawass clarified that his efforts are focused solely on artifacts removed from Egypt illegally, not those legally acquired.
