Egyptian expert demands retrieving national items from British Museum
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Zahi Hawass criticizes the existence of the Rosetta Stone in the British Museum as this stone is an iconic emblem of Egyptian ancestry.
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Artifacts are displayed at the Saqqara archaeological site, south of Cairo on January 26, 2023. ( AFP)
Zahi Hawass, a renowned expert in Egyptian archaeology, has strongly condemned the British Museum's handling of Egyptian artifacts, calling it a crime against the world society.
He described the theft of these treasures as a great travesty and asked for a widespread demand that the British Museum no longer be regarded as an acceptable location for the presentation of Egyptian artifacts.
Read more: Egypt unearths 250 mummies in ancient necropolis
The existence of the Rosetta Stone in the British Museum, according to Hawass, is a terrible error, as this stone is an iconic emblem of Egyptian ancestry.
He firmly believes that the Rosetta Stone's rightful place is within the grand Egyptian Museum in Egypt itself.
Moreover, the Egyptian archaeologist pointed out that Egypt is the rightful owner of its own antiquities, even if they are found in museums in the United States, Europe, or any other part of the world.
He further stressed the importance of safeguarding these items from theft and improper restoration.
British Museum director resigns over suspected thefts
Days ago, the British Museum's Director resigned, and the deputy director temporarily stepped away from their position due to mishandling suspicions of widespread artifact theft. This situation has raised international concerns about systemic failures and caused embarrassment.
Hartwig Fischer took responsibility for the Museum's inadequate response to theft warnings involving numerous objects in 2021, resulting in a police inquiry due to missing, stolen, or damaged items from the collection.
Fischer acknowledged the Museum's failure to handle the warnings and the ensuing issues in his resignation statement, which was accepted by the Museum's trustees. Jonathan Williams, the deputy director, voluntarily stepped back from responsibilities pending an independent review of the theft suspicions.
