Monday, June 28, 2004
Egypt makes fresh claim on Nefertiti bust
Agence France-Presse Berlin, June 28
Egypt staked a fresh claim on Monday to the priceless ancient bust of Queen Nefertiti, which has spent the last century in Berlin after its discovery by a German archaeologist.
The director of the Egyptian National Museum in Cairo, Wafaa Seddiq, told a German newspaper that the elegant limestone figure was removed from the country illegally and that it should at least be loaned back to its home country.
"We know that we will not be able to bring Nefertiti back for ever but an exhibit for a few months would be possible," Seddiq told the Bild-am-Sonntag.
"It is even our right to have it for such an exhibition because the bust was smuggled to Germany back then."
Cairo and Berlin have frequently crossed swords over the beautiful Nefertiti, which was unearthed by German archaeologist Ludwig Borchardt and removed from the country under a 1913 agreement that allowed him take 50 per cent of what had been excavated.
However Seddiq said that under that treaty, important objects d'art were required to remain in Egypt. She accused Borchardt of playing down the historical significance of the bust so he could spirit it back to Berlin.
© HT Media Ltd. 2004.