“life-size painted portrait of the queen measuring 47 centimeters tall. It includes a flat-cut blue wig with a ribbon tied around it about midway up,” as described by an egyptologist.
Ludwig Borchardt
wrote
In his journal entry from December 6, 1912, he wrote, “The work is entirely extraordinary. Words fail to capture it; one has to see it.”
The
discovery
what the German Egyptologist thought was unparalleled in expression was the
iconic
limestone and stucco sculpture of a bust
Nefertiti
, once upon a time the queen of Egypt and spouse of
Pharaoh Akhenaten
who governed during the 14th century B.C.E.
However, what started as a deep admiration for the 18-inch-tall sculpture’s aesthetics in Borchardt’s journal 112 years ago swiftly transformed into
archaeological scandal
for future generations, raising queries about ownership and
repatriation
even in modern times.
The dispute began during an archaeological dig of an old town along the Nile.
Tell el-Amarna
, also known as Akhetaton, captivated the interests of Borchardt and the broader European archaeological community towards the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century. This was due to it being the capital city established during Akhenaten’s reign when he shifted his religious focus.
spiritual life
of his kingdom on a single god,
Aten
.
In 1911, Borchardt
won
the support of
James Simon
, a wealthy art collector who founded the German Oriental Society, to finance an excavation at the site where
Atenism
—possibly the world’s earliest monotheistic faith—emerged.
Previous expeditions had already
mapped
The ancient city was thoroughly explored. However, Borchardt and his team quickly turned their focus toward a small, yet-to-be-investigated workshop owned by Thutmose, who was a sculptor.
On the day the archaeologists discovered the Nefertiti bust, Germany
nobles
Visitors from Saxony came to see Tell el-Amarna, and Borchardt hurriedly moved among his distinguished guests and the excavation site.
Hermann Ranke
, another Egyptologist, informed him that “something good is coming out.”
As Borchardt neared Thutmose’s workshop, “the instruments were set down, and the hands took over,” he noted.
wrote
It required a significant duration for the entire section to be entirely liberated from all the grime and debris.
Once everything had been tidied up, he
recalled
“We held the most realistic piece of ancient Egyptian artwork imaginable.”
The Germans also wanted to keep Nefertiti under their control. Since they held the excavation permit for the site, the German team shared their discoveries from Tell el-Amarna with Egyptian officials as was customary back then.
wrote
Kurt G. Siehr in
Imperialism, Art and Restitution
.
However, the legality and ethics of the transaction have long been debated. In 2009, the German magazine
Der Spiegel
obtained
The German-language records from a 1913 agreement between German and Egyptian officials state that Borchardt allegedly “sought to preserve the bust for our country.” According to reports, the Egyptologist presented an unfavorable photo of the bust to Egyptian antiquity supervisors and stored the container in a poorly illuminated space to diminish its significance.
Nefertiti journeyed back to Germany inside that crate, and Simon
took
having possession of it prior to donating it
Berlin State Museums
in 1920.
Apart from a short period in a Thuringian salt mine for safety during World War II, the bust has largely remained in place since 1923.
unveiling
However, this has not dampened the discussion over who legitimately should possess or showcase Nefertiti’s bust.
The Neues Museum in Berlin, which presently holds the bust,
claims
All dealings were transparent and carried out following the norms of the early 1900s. In contrast,
Zahi Hawass
a leading Egyptian archaeologist who also served as the former Minister of Tourism and Antiquities in Egypt,
maintains
The bust was taken out of Egypt unlawfully.
Germans and Egyptians seemingly negotiated over the bust during the entire decade of the 1920s. By 1929, they seemed close to finalizing a satisfactory agreement. However, according to documents from the British Foreign Office,
documents
Eventually, Adolf Hitler canceled the deal due to his immense appreciation for the artifact. Over the ensuing years, Egypt has implemented various strategies to compel Germany to return the contentious bust, such as restricting access to certain resources or opportunities.
excavation
allows German archaeologists to obtain permits and facilitates exchanges of other antiquities for the artwork.
The assertions regarding the bust of Nefertiti are
unending
But for now, it stands solitary in an austere chamber in Berlin, a piece of eternal elegance amidst contemporary controversy.
