Cairo: Egypt is officially requesting the return of the 3,300-year-old bust of Queen Nefertiti that has been in a Berlin museum for decades.
The bust, dating back to the 14th century BC monarch, tops Egypt`s wish list of artefacts the country hopes to bring back as part of a campaign to retrieve thousands of antiquities spirited out during the colonial period and afterward.
Egypt`s Supreme Council of Antiquities on Monday quoted its chief, Zahi Hawass, as saying an official request was sent to German authorities.
Germany has declined past Egyptian requests for the bust`s return, saying it was in Germany legally and is too fragile to move. The bust is currently at Berlin`s Neues Museum.
Egypt contends it was taken out with fraudulent documents in the early 20th century.
Bureau Report
