The bust of NEFERTITI was found on 6 December 1912 at Amarna by the German Oriental Company (Deutsche Orient-Gesellschaft), led by German archaeologist Ludwig Borchardt.
A 1924 document found in the archives of the German Oriental Company recalls a 20 January 1913 meeting between Borchardt and a senior Egyptian official to discuss the division of the archeological finds of 1912 between Germany and Egypt. According to the secretary of the German Oriental Company (who was the author of the document and who was present at the meeting), Borchardt “wanted to save the bust for us”. Borchardt is suspected of having concealed the bust’s real value, although he denied doing so.
While Philipp Vandenberg describes the coup as “adventurous and beyond comparison”, Time magazine lists it among the “Top 10 Plundered Artifacts”. Borchardt showed the Egyptian official a photograph of the bust “that didn’t show Nefertiti in her best light”. The bust was wrapped up in a box when Egypt’s chief antiques inspector, Gustave Lefebvre, came for inspection. The document reveals that Borchardt claimed the bust was made of gypsum to mislead Lefebvre. The German Oriental Company blames the negligence of Lefebvre and points out that the bust was at the top of the exchange list and says the deal was done fairly. [X]
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