Zahi Hawass, a leading Egyptian archaeologist and former antiquities minister, has initiated a petition demanding the return of the iconic bust of Queen Nefertiti from Berlin’s Neues Museum to Egypt.
The painted limestone bust, unearthed in 1912 by a German archaeological team at Tell el-Amarna—an ancient city founded by Nefertiti’s husband, Pharaoh Akhenaten—was shipped to Berlin the following year.
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Akhenaten, known for his controversial religious reforms and distinctive artistic style, ruled during the 18th dynasty and was often called the heretic king.
In a request submitted on Saturday, Hawass claimed that the bust was unlawfully removed from Egypt following its discovery.
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“We declare today that Egypt, through this national committee, not a government one, demands the return of the Nefertiti bust,” Hawass announced.
He urged supporters to visit his website, hawasszahi.com and add their signatures to support the bust’s return.
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Hawass clarified that his campaign is not about repatriating artifacts legally removed from Egypt but focuses on recovering “three main beautiful objects,” including the Nefertiti bust, the Rosetta Stone, and the Dendera Zodiac.
There was no immediate response from officials at Berlin’s Neues Museum.
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