The Rosetta stone undergoes the final phases of its conservation by Senior Stone Conservator Nic Lee, within the Egyptian Sculpture Gallery at The British Museum, in London, Tuesday July 6, 2004. Edmond Terakopian, PA
The Rosetta stone has been on show on the British Museum since 1802 — British forces took the artifact from Egypt in 1801 and now, Egyptians need it again.
Debates over possession of historical artifacts have challenged American and European museums in recent times. In 2010, the Metropolitan Museum of Artwork in New York voluntarily returned 19 artifacts that got here from Tutankhamen’s tomb to Egypt, per The New York Occasions.
The Rosetta stone is among the most visited shows on the British Museum. It has messages carved into it in three sorts of writing, and its discovery led to a breakthrough in understanding the right way to learn Egyptian hieroglyphics.
After spending over two centuries within the British Museum, there are two petitions claiming the stone ought to be returned to the nation it originated from.
“The British Museum’s holding of the stone is an emblem of Western cultural violence towards Egypt,” mentioned Monica Hanna, dean on the Arab Academy for Science, Know-how & Maritime Transport, and organizer of certainly one of two petitions, per The Related Press.
When Napoleon Bonaparte’s navy forces occupied Egypt, French scientists found the stone in 1799 within the northern city Rashid, which the French referred to as Rosetta. After British troops defeated the French in Egypt, they acquired the stone underneath phrases within the Treaty of Alexandria, experiences the British Museum.
One other petition, which has over 110,000 signatures, referred to as the stone “an icon of our Egyptian id” and mentioned that returning it will be an “acknowledgement of the dedication of Western museums to decolonizing their collections and making reparations for the previous.”
The British Museum refutes all claims that Egypt is the rightful proprietor of the stone. In a press release, per The Related Press, the museum mentioned the Treaty of Alexandria comprises a signature from an Egyptian consultant. The museum additionally talked about that's has not acquired a request of return from the Egyptian authorities.
The Rosetta stone is certainly one of over 100,000 Egyptian artifacts within the British Museum. It has turn into extra commonplace to return artifacts to their nation of origin. On Monday, the London Horniman Museum formally transferred possession of 72 objects, together with the “Benin Bronzes,” again to Nigeria, per BBC.
In keeping with Nicholas Donnell, a Boston-based lawyer specializing in instances regarding artwork and artifacts, believes getting the Rosetta Stone again will probably be troublesome.
“Given the treaty and the timeframe, the Rosetta stone is a tough authorized battle to win,” mentioned Donnell, per The Related Press.
The British Museum has not revealed if it has ever repatriated any artifacts from its assortment.
“We're calling on the worldwide neighborhood to demand the repatriation of those objects. We have to present that the world is aware of that these objects belong in Egypt,” Zahi Hawass wrote on one of many petitions.