Zahi Hawass Leads Campaign to Reclaim Nefertiti Bust

Zahi Hawass, a prominent Egyptian archaeologist, has initiated a petition demanding the return of the pharaonic bust of Queen Nefertiti from Berlin's Neues Museum to Egypt. The bust, discovered in 1912 at Tell el-Amarna, was transported to Berlin the following year. Hawass emphasizes the artifact was taken illegally.

Zahi Hawass, a renowned Egyptian archaeologist and former antiquities minister, has spearheaded a petition to repatriate the pharaonic bust of Queen Nefertiti from the Neues Museum in Berlin to Egypt. Unveiled at Tell el-Amarna in 1912 by a German archaeological team, the bust was moved to Berlin in 1913.

Amarna served as the ephemeral capital of Pharaoh Akhenaten, Nefertiti's husband, who reigned until approximately 1335 B.C. Known as the heretic king, Akhenaten promoted the exclusive worship of the god Aten, sparking significant shifts in Egyptian art.

Hawass's petition, launched on Saturday, argues that the bust was illicitly removed from Egypt. He urged the public to support the cause by signing on his website hawasszahi.com. Hawass clarified that his campaign targets only artifacts removed illegally, such as the Nefertiti bust, the Rosetta Stone, and the Dendera Zodiac.

Officials from Berlin's Neues Museum were unavailable for comment.

(With inputs from agencies.)