Cairo mural depicting Tutankhamun and Nefertiti with dark skin sparks controversy

A mural in central Cairo depicting the ancient Egyptian ruler Tutankhamun and Queen Nefertiti with dark skin has become the center of a public controversy after it was painted over just before a state visit by Chinese president Xi Jinping.

The 66-metre-long artwork was one of around 40 murals commissioned by city authorities to beautify Cairo ahead of Xi's visit. It was created by Rasmet Basma, a volunteer youth group, and was installed in Tahrir Square, one of the most prominent public spaces in the Egyptian capital.

According to reports, the mural was removed from the route the Chinese delegation was expected to take through the city shortly before the visit took place. Its removal has been linked by critics to allegations that the artwork's depiction of the two ancient Egyptian figures revived long-running Afrocentric claims regarding the racial origins of the Pharaohs, a subject that has periodically sparked debate among historians and the public in Egypt and beyond.

The episode has reignited broader discussions about how ancient Egyptian history and iconography are represented in public art, with some commentators defending the mural as a legitimate artistic interpretation and others arguing that such depictions risk promoting a disputed historical narrative.

City authorities have not issued a detailed public explanation for the mural's removal. The incident adds to a long history of debate over the depiction of skin color in representations of ancient Egyptian rulers, a topic that continues to generate strong reactions whenever it resurfaces in public discourse.