Episode Information

NEFERITI: THE LONELY QUEEN looks at the status of cultural treasures taken from their country of origin. Voices demanding repatriation are getting stronger - the resistance of the former Colonial powers holding on to these cultural cornerstones grows accordingly. Museum directors talk about why their institution is the rightful owner and custodian of certain objects. People demanding repatriation explain the necessity of guarding their cultural heritage in an accessible place in the home country. This is only one part of the big picture. Among other stories NEFERITI -THE LONELY QUEEN looks at the current situation in the Middle East and how that affects the cultural heritage of certain areas. The invasion of Iraq and the revolutions in Egypt in Libya led to mayhem in the cultural heritage domain: we have seen many looted museums and looted archeological sites. This has not stopped. We see how the Islamic State is selling looting licenses to entrepreneurs and professional art thieves. Looting now takes place on industrial scale.