http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/04/070418-nefertiti-egypt.html
This is probably the best summary of the situation and the various remarks made, to date. I did find it interesting that Hawass says that he believes that Germany are afraid that if they loan the bust, Egypt will not return it.
This is probably the best summary of the situation and the various remarks made, to date. I did find it interesting that Hawass says that he believes that Germany are afraid that if they loan the bust, Egypt will not return it.
The German group who have launched a campaign to discuss how to resolve the long disputed issues surrounding the ownership of the Nefertiti bust present their arguments at the above website.
Hawass's launch of a "scientific war" is reminiscent of some of his tactics to secure the permanent return of specific artefacts - for example when he threatened in 2005 to suspend Belgian excavations at Deir el Barsha and disrupt Britain's scientific links with Egypt if the Leuven and Fitzwilliam museums did not return specified items:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2005/07/17/international/i151634D53.DTL
In 2005 Hawass also requested the assistance of UNESCO for negotiating the return of the Nefertiti bust, as well as the Denderah Zodiac (in the Louvre, Paris, France) and the Rosetta Stone (in the British Museum, London, U.K.):
http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2005/751/eg7.htm
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2005/07/17/international/i151634D53.DTL
In 2005 Hawass also requested the assistance of UNESCO for negotiating the return of the Nefertiti bust, as well as the Denderah Zodiac (in the Louvre, Paris, France) and the Rosetta Stone (in the British Museum, London, U.K.):
http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2005/751/eg7.htm
A hunt around the UNESCO website did not reveal anything more about this, and a delve into this blog's archive failed to unearth a follow up to the appeal to UNESCO.
2 comments:
I used to have a great respect for Hawass. But I think he's become a single minded egotist. I think Germany is 1,000% correct in not letting Nefertiti out of the museum, let alone the country. Give Hawass time, he'll eventually tire of his latest demand. And if I were a German, I'd say, OK, we won't bother in Egypt. We'll go somewhere else. Now find someone else to pay the expenses for a dig. Hawass is bitting off his nose to spite his face. He's the one who will be sorry.
I think Hawass and Germany are at fault. I feel Germany can loan the bust for 3 months and Egypt would return it once three months is up. I don't think it is right of Hawass to make demands and threats, I can understand how much he wants Nefertiti back and she probably wants to come home too, but he shouldn't ban Germany from Egypt because they won't give the bust back. I think Germany can live without The Queen for 3 months so she can return home.
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