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Antiquities Wish List in Egypt Business Directory

The summer heat notwithstanding, temperatures are rising in the international antiquities world following a call by Egypt for the return of five Ancient Egyptian pieces on display abroad. In a speech at a meeting of the Intergovernmental Committee for Promoting the Return of Cultural Property to its Countries of Origin held at UNESCO in Paris, Zahi Hawass, secretary-general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA), said Egypt had been deprived of five key items of Egypts cultural heritage. They should be handed over to us, Hawass said. The objects in question are the Rosetta Stone, now in the British Museum in London, the bust of Nefertiti in the Egyptian Museum in Berlin, the statue of Great Pyramid architect Hemiunnu in the Roemer-Pelizaeus Museum in Hilesheim, the Dendara Temple Zodiac in the Louvre in Paris, and the bust of Kephren pyramid builder Ankhaf in the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. Hawass urged other countries affected by similar issues to prepare a list of stolen artifacts considered unique and invaluable to their cultural identity that should be handed over for good, or on loan. Many observers said Hawass was stirring up the past; some described the request as wishy-washy, mere casual talk in the same manner that he brought the idea up two years ago in a speech at the British Museum to celebrate its 250th anniversary. At the time, Hawass suggested that the Rosetta Stone be loaned to Cairos Egyptian Museum for three months. Hawass later told reporters: If the British want to restore their reputation, they should volunteer to return the Rosetta Stone because it is the icon of our Egyptian identity. This time Hawass could not be more serious, nor his wording plainer. On Monday he delivered an official request to UNESCO, of which Al-Ahram Weekly has obtained a copy, asking the UN body to act as mediator between Egypt and the countries concerned in the return of these five items, as well as to help Egypt recover treasures plundered and smuggled out of the country since 1970.

Website: http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2005/751/eg7.htm