The country’s efforts to claim back looted artifacts has once again caught the attention of the international press, with Egyptian archaeologist and former Antiquities Minister Zahi Hawass’ recently launched petition to repatriate the pharaonic bust of Queen Nefertiti from the Neues Museum in Berlin, being picked up by Reuters. “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," Hawass said.

Finders keepers does not apply: The effort is part of an initiative to repatriate "three main beautiful objects,” Hawass said — all of which were taken out of the country illegally. These include the Rosetta Stone, which has been on display at the British Museum since 1802, and the Dendera Zodiac, a bas-relief celestial ceiling that’s currently at the Louvre in Paris.

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