Renowned Egyptian archaeologist, Zahi Hawass, has reignited a passionate debate over some of the world’s most famous artifacts that were taken from Egypt. His primary target is the breathtaking bust of Queen Nefertiti, currently on display in a museum in Germany. But that’s not all—Hawass is also fighting to bring back two other priceless treasures: the Rosetta Stone in the British Museum and the Dendera Zodiac, which is in the Louvre in Paris.
Hawass, who previously served as Egypt’s antiquities minister, has launched a global petition calling for the return of these iconic pieces. According to him, these artifacts were “illegally” taken from Egypt and need to be restored to their rightful home. He describes these items as “unique artifacts” that are deeply tied to Egypt’s history and culture—so valuable that no other objects compare to them.
His biggest focus is on the stunning limestone bust of Nefertiti, a queen from ancient Egypt who ruled alongside her husband, Pharaoh Akhenaten, during the 18th dynasty. The bust was discovered in 1912 by a German archaeological team in Tell el-Amarna, once the capital of Egypt under Akhenaten. A year later, it was taken to Germany under controversial circumstances—Hawass even claims it was smuggled out illegally.
Hawass’s petition has already gathered over 200,000 signatures from people around the world who agree that these treasures should be brought back to Egypt. However, he is aiming to collect one million signatures to make his request official and put more pressure on European museums.
This isn’t the first time Europe’s museums have faced calls to return artifacts taken from Africa. Just recently, the University of Cambridge in the UK returned 39 looted artifacts to Uganda. Although the items were given back temporarily under a long-term loan agreement, the move shows that the pressure to return stolen heritage is growing.
Hawass believes that keeping these artifacts in foreign museums is an act of imperialism—an old-world mindset that still affects modern countries like Egypt. By holding onto these treasures, museums are reinforcing the idea that it’s okay to take what doesn’t belong to them. His mission is to stop that. Whether or not his efforts will succeed remains to be seen, but the fight to bring Nefertiti, the Rosetta Stone, and the Dendera Zodiac home is far from over.
For now, the museums in Germany, Britain, and France have yet to respond to Hawass’s demands, leaving many wondering if justice for Egypt’s heritage will ever be served.
