recent inauguration Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM, English) in Giza revived the international debate on the return of an iconic part of Egypt’s heritage. rosetta stonehe zodiac and Bust of Nefertiti is at the center of the controversy.
Opening this monumental museum required more than 20 years of construction and an investment of more than $500. US$ 1 billionprominent Egyptologists and former officials have begun demanding the return of historical objects left in European museums from the colonial era.
Former Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Zaha Hawassis expressed as BBC The international community must take responsibility for the collection of Egyptian artifacts in Western countries. Mr. Hawass emphasized that: “There are two things I want: first, the museum will stop purchasing stolen artifacts, and second, the three items will be returned. rosetta stone of the British Museum, zodiac Louvre museum and bust nefertiti of Berlin,” Hawass said. BBC.
This position is supported by other experts such as: monica hannahco-founded the campaign for the return of the Rosetta Stone in 2022. Hannah emphasized that BBC He said the opening of the GEM represents an opportunity for Egypt to formally express its demands, saying, “Egypt should begin formally demanding the return and repatriation of various looted items.”
The Rosetta Stone was discovered in Egypt in 1799 during the Napoleonic Wars and discovered by French troops when they demolished the walls of the town of Rosetta. After France surrendered to British forces in 1801, the object was handed over to Britain under the Treaty of Alexandria and has been part of the British Museum’s collection ever since.. This artifact is essential for deciphering Egyptian hieroglyphics, and contains inscriptions in three scripts: Egyptian hieroglyphics, demotic, and ancient Greek.
In response to recent requests, the British Museum advised: BBC The Egyptian government says it has not received a formal request to repatriate the Rosetta Stone. “We have not received any formal request from the Egyptian government to repatriate the Rosetta Stone,” a museum spokesperson said in an email.
Furthermore, the agency highlighted its continued collaboration with Egyptian colleagues on projects, exhibitions and research, and said its relationship with the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities has been “long-standing and collaborative.”
The British Museum also claimed that the Rosetta Stone was just one of 29 known official edicts from the Ptolemaic period (332 BC to 30 BC), and was inscribed with Egyptian, Demotic, and ancient Greek hieroglyphics, allowing scholars to understand hieroglyphic texts. Of these laws, 22 people remain in Egyptincluding the famous Canopic Decree, which is the centerpiece of the Egyptian Museum’s collection in Cairo.
On the other hand, the MB is subject to current legislation, especially British Museum Act 1963prevents you from returning objects from the collection forever, except in exceptional circumstances. This regulation has been frequently cited in discussions about other claimed works, such as the Parthenon marble extracted from the Acropolis in the early 19th century and which Greece is demanding returned.
inauguration of jewelry The opening in early November marks the culmination of a two-decade project marked by domestic political instability, a pandemic and regional conflict.
The museum occupies an area of 50 hectares (120 acres)It is on a scale similar to Vatican City and is the centerpiece of Egypt’s strategy to revitalize international tourism. That collection includes: 5000 years of history Through the above 50,000 artifactsAmong them, the complete collection of Tutankhamun’s tomb and the replica of the Rosetta Stone stand out.
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