Egypt International Conference demands return of Antiquities (T)

The East Pediment of the Parthenon (Birth of the goddess Athena), kept in the British Museum, London. Photo: Ethnos, 10.04.2010

Top priority for "stolen" Greek antiquities are the Parthenon Marbles from the British Museum, for which Greece has been fighting for almost thirty years.

Greece, along with another six countries - Egypt, Syria, Guatemala, Nigeria, Peru, and Libya - have already submitted their lists with antiquities that they prioritise among their demands for items to be returned from other countries, as Zahi Hawass announced, as soon as the two-day International Conference in Cairo ended.

At the conference that was carried out in the Egyptian capital and had the as its theme the "stolen" antiquities, decided that a list should be created which shall include the "stolen" antiquities that the participating countries demand be returned in order of priority.

Nefretity, kept in the Altes Museum, Berlin.
Photo: Ethnos, 10.04.2010

The rest of the countries, apart from the seven already mentioned, have one month to submit their own lists, announced mr. Hawass.

The priority for Cairo, according to the head of the Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities, is the return of six antiquities of great value, including the bust of Nefretiti from Berlin (Altes Muzeum), the Rosetta Stone from the British Museum in London and the Zodiac Cycle of Dedera from the Louvre in Paris.

Peru announced that is has asked for the return of the collections from the Inkas City of Machu Picchu from the Museum of the American university of Yale [on this, see here and here], and the coins, ceramics and tissues of the Paracas civilasation that are kept in the Museum of World Culture in Göteborg, Sweden.

The Rosetta stone, kept in the
British Museum, London.
Photo: Earth-History.com

The Cairo conference was called "historic", while all the participating countries agreed to "fight together", mentioned Zahi Hawass.

Textile of the Paracas Civilisation in the Museum of World Culture in Göteborg, Sweden. Photo: Paracas.se

"It is necessary", he added, "to reinforce international cooperation and legal and tribunal proceedures for the protection of cultural heritage".

Source: Ethnos, 10.04.2010
Translation/Adaptation: ArchaeologyMatters