Subscribe
Search
ePaper
Newsletters
Subscribe
ePaper
Newsletters
Art market
Museums & heritage
Exhibitions
Books
Podcasts
Columns
Technology
Adventures with Van Gogh
Art market
Museums & heritage
Exhibitions
Books
Podcasts
Columns
Technology
Adventures with Van Gogh
Search
News

Should Egypt give up the fight for artefacts in foreign museums?

By Ermanno Rivetti
31 March 2017
Share

It is not in Egypt’s interest to lobby for the return of artefacts in foreign museums, says Mamdouh al-Damaty, the country’s antiquities minister from 2014 to 2016. He sees these objects as ambassadors for Egypt that encourage interest in the country, and says that the majority of them were exported legally. Al-Damaty’s statements, reported in the Egypt Independent newspaper, are in stark contrast to his predecessors, notably Zahi Hawass, who aggressively campaigned for the return of objects in foreign institutions. (The Rosetta Stone in London’s British Museum and Nefertiti’s bust in the Neues Museum in Berlin were among those on his “wish list”.) This u-turn in thinking may have to do with the government’s efforts to revive tourism, which has slumped following the 2011 revolution.

News
Share
Subscribe to The Art Newspaper’s digital newsletter for your daily digest of essential news, views and analysis from the international art world delivered directly to your inbox.
Newsletter sign-up
Information
About
Contact
Cookie policy
Data protection
Privacy policy
Frequently Asked Questions
Subscription T&Cs
Terms and conditions
Advertise
Sister Papers
Sponsorship policy
Follow us
Facebook
Instagram
YouTube
LinkedIn
© The Art Newspaper