Due to an exhibition exploring the impact of ancient Egypt on black musicians, a Dutch museum claims that its archaeologists have been prohibited from conducting excavations at a significant Egyptian site.
Egyptian authorities had accused the National Museum of Antiquities in Leiden of "falsifying" history by featuring works by artists like Beyoncé, Nas, and Miles Davis, the museum in Leiden claimed.
It decried the ban and referred to the argument as "unfounded.".
The Egyptian government has not responded.
However, Egyptian media claimed last month that the exhibit had enraged a local antiquities expert who claimed it supported "Afrocentric theory.".
An Egyptian MP was prompted by the incident to inquire of the government what steps it was taking to "confront the distortion of Egyptian civilization.".
The museum also mentioned that since the opening of the exhibit, it had come across comments on social media that were "racist or offensive in nature.".
A new Netflix docudrama series that portrays Queen Cleopatra as a black African has been criticized by Egyptian authorities as a "falsification of history" only a few weeks prior to the current controversy.
Cleopatra had "Hellenistic (Greek) features," such as "light skin," according to the antiquities ministry.
the Kemet exhibition at the National Museum of Antiquities (RMO). Egyptian and Nubian music have been "an undeniable source of inspiration for musicians of African descent for over 70 years," according to the documentary Egypt in Hip Hop, Jazz, Soul, and Funk.
Incorporating the associated motifs as "symbols of resistance, empowerment, and spiritual healing," the statement claims that the artists have embraced the ancient cultures.
In addition to pictures and music videos of Beyoncé and Rihanna dressed as Queen Nefertiti, the album also includes songs by Erykah Badu, Lauryn Hill, Nina Simone, Fela Kuti, and Nas, as well as a modern sculpture of Nas inspired by King Tutankhamun's famous gold mask.
The exhibition also examines what modern science has discovered about ancient Egypt and Nubia, and it discusses how these cultures have been investigated from both Eurocentric and Afrocentric viewpoints.
The RMO stated in a statement on Wednesday that it was disappointed to learn in a recent email from a senior Egyptian antiquities official that, after nearly 50 years of work there, it was no longer permitted to excavate at the Saqqara necropolis near Cairo.
"Since it is their territory and cultural heritage, the Egyptian government has every right to revoke an excavation permit. The museum believes that the reasoning behind this choice is flawed, though. ".
"The Egyptian authorities conclude that our current exhibition," it continued. is intended to "falsify" ancient Egyptian history. Using this political justification, we hope to have our excavation banned and to voice our displeasure with the exhibition. ".
The argument was being made by "people who have not actually seen the exhibition," which the RMO also expressed surprise at.
