Renowned Egyptian archaeologist and former antiquities minister Zahi Hawass has launched a petition calling for the repatriation of Queen Nefertiti's iconic bust from the Neues Museum in Berlin to Egypt.

The bust, a key symbol of ancient Egyptian artistry and culture, was discovered in 1912 at Tell el-Amarna by a German archaeological mission. The following year, it was transported to Berlin, where it has remained on display, sparking long-standing debates over its rightful ownership.

Amarna, where the bust was found, was the short-lived capital of Pharaoh Akhenaten, Nefertiti's husband, who ruled Egypt until around 1335 B.C. Akhenaten, often called the heretic king, is infamous for his religious reforms, shifting focus to the exclusive worship of the sun god Aten. His reign also marked a significant transformation in Egyptian art, which became more naturalistic.

Read more: 100 years later: Will Egypt repatriate Nefertiti's bust from Germany?

Hawass' petition, launched on Saturday, asserts that the bust was illegally removed from Egypt following its discovery and should be returned to its rightful home.

"We announce today that Egypt - this is the national committee, it is not a government committee - asks for the return of the bust of Nefertiti," Hawass said.

"What I need from everyone here is to go to my website... hawasszahi.com, and you will sign, one signature, to show that you would love for this bust to come back."

He clarified that the campaign is not targeting artifacts legally removed from Egypt, but rather three key objects: the bust of Nefertiti, the Rosetta Stone, and the Dendera Zodiac.

Officials from the Neues Museum in Berlin, where Nefertiti’s bust remains on display, have not yet commented on the petition.