World-renowned Egyptologist and archaeologist Zahi Gawass is calling on three European institutions to return iconic works of art he says rightfully belong to Egypt. Gavasse plans to revive previous efforts amid a rising wave of cultural repatriation of looted colonial-era objects..

[see_also ids\u003d"

In recent months, the Smithsonian Institution has officially approved the return of 29 bronzes, Germany has made a landmark commitment to return Benin bronzes to Nigeria, and just a few weeks ago the Arts Council of England published a 33-page report detailing activities for UK institutions " ) and repatriation.

[see_also ids\u003d"

There is also a longstanding debate over the Parthenon marble, which was removed from the Acropolis in the 19th century by Lord Elgin and is now in the British Museum.. An Oxford University scientist has come up with the idea of \u200b\u200b3D printing a replica to leave in London and return the originals to Greece..

Gavasse says he will circulate a petition, signed by leading Egyptian intellectuals, citing the importance of the treasure he wants to return: The Rosetta Stone in the British Museum in London; Ceiling of the Dendera Zodiac in the Louvre in Paris; and a bust of Nefertiti in the Neues Museum Berlin.

“I believe that these three items are unique and their home should be in Egypt,” said Gavass.. “We have collected all the evidence that these three things were stolen from Egypt.”.

Rosetta stone, stele dated 196 BC. , with hieroglyphs written in Ancient Egyptian, Demotic, and Ancient Greek, was discovered in Memphis, Egypt, in 1799 by French officer Pierre-Francois Bouchard. When Napoleon's army was defeated two years later, the British took possession of the stone under the Treaty of Alexandria, and it has been in the collection of the British Museum since 1802..

Gavasse has campaigned for the return of the objects since at least 2003, when he served as general secretary of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, calling the Rosetta Stone an " In 2011, Hawass asked to loan art for the future Grand Egyptian Museum, but his request was denied..

[see_also ids\u003d"

In a statement to Art Newspaper, the British Museum said: " But he did not provide an answer to the question about the return of the artifact to Egypt.

At the same time, neither the Louvre nor the Berlin State Museums responded to requests for comment at all..