Lectures - The Rosetta Stone

Accessed February 25, 2010

Thanks goes to Marina Poveda, one of the presenters of these lectures, for passing along this information on to me.

The following are some talks happening at the Assembly Hall of the Casa de Cultura, C/ Jaume II, 3. Novelda (Alicante):

1. Friday 5th of March at 20:00: La Piedra de Rosetta: Llave maestra de la egiptología, by Santiago Mallebrera, teacher of Egyptian language. Member of ITERU.
2. Friday 12th of March at 19:30: Más Allá de la Piedra de Rosetta: El papel fundamental de la lengua copta en el desciframiento de la escritura jeroglífica, by Marina Escolano, deputy director of the joint EES/Durham University archaeological expedition to Saïs (Sa el-Hagar, Egypt).

A poster for these lectures is available.

Unraveling the DNA Behind the Mask

Originally published February 24, 2010 | Yale Daily News | by Erin Vanderhoof |

After 3,400 years, one of history’s oldest cold cases has finally been solved.

In addition to finding evidence that the legendary Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun (better known as King Tut) died of malaria and suffered from a club foot, DNA analysis unveiled last week has identified a previously anonymous excavated mummy, KV55, as Tutankhamun’s father: Akhenaten, the rebellious pharaoh of Egypt’s Amarna period whose legacy disappeared for thousands of years. The DNA supports the theory of two Yale professors, who suggested that the androgynous figures of the period’s art reflect religious beliefs rather than representations of Akhenaten’s family.

This theory was presented by Yale Egyptology professors John Darnell and Colleen Manassa ’01 GRD ’05 in their 2007 book, "Tutankhamun’s Armies," which details the military and diplomatic technique of Egypt’s late 18th Dynasty, which ruled the country from 1550 B.C. to 1292 B.C.

Tutankhamun's Funeral Exhibition at the Met will Explore Materials and Rituals

Originally published February 24, 2010 | Art Daily | An excerpt - click on the above link to read more:

In 1908, while excavating in the Valley of the Kings in Egypt, American archaeologist Theodore Davis discovered about a dozen large storage jars. Their contents included broken pottery, bags of natron (a mixture of sodium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate, sodium sulphate, and sodium chloride that occurs naturally in Egypt), bags of sawdust, floral collars, and pieces of linen with markings from years 6 and 8 during the reign of a then little-known pharaoh named Tutankhamun. The Metropolitan Museum of Art was given six of the vessels and a good part of their contents in 1909.

In time, Herbert Winlock, curator and field director of the Metropolitan's Egyptian excavations and in the 1930s Director of the Museum, came to realize that the natron and linen were the embalming refuse from the mummification of Tutankhamun. He also suggested that the animal bones, pottery, and collars might have come from a funeral meal. Winlock's analysis was an important clue that led to Howard Carter's 1922 discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb some 110 meters away.

Opening March 16 at the Metropolitan Museum, the exhibition Tutankhamun's Funeral will explore the materials and rituals associated with the burial of the pharaoh. The presentation will include some 60 objects, primarily from the Metropolitan's own collection.

Still Them and Us - a Look at the Drawings of the Time Exhibit

Originally published February 25, 2010 | Al-Ahram Weekly Online | by Gamal Nkrumah | Gamal Nkrumah's reaction and analysis of Drawings of the Time: Impressions of Edfu Temple exhibit. An excerpt:

Drawings of the Time: Impressions from Edfu Temple is an exhibition that displays colourful and engaging portraits of high priests of ancient Egyptian Temples. Gamal Nkrumah discovers they tend to be at odds with contemporary art in many respects. These striking images are definitely not the stuff of daily life in the closing years of the Pharaonic era. They have a broader and more aspiring canvas.

The exquisite works of Andalusian artists Asuncion Jodar Minarro and Ricardo Marin Viadel ornament the Egyptian Museum and offer a timely lesson in Mediterranean camaraderie. The exhibition focuses on the miscellaneous aspects of the high priests of the Ptolemaic Period. The focus of this show is art rather than history. And yet the images have quite a tale to tell.

What a difference a couple of millennia make. Two thousand years ago, these images were adored as the very likeness of the living gods. Or those destined to serve the gods. Today they are admired as imaginative and ingenious interpretations of an art of an age bygone. They were worshipped then, and they are viewed with wonder now.

Imesy's Coffin to Return to Egypt

Originally published February 25, 2010 | Zahi Hawass' Blog | by Dr. Hawass | Here's a portion of the article describing this latest news - click the above link to read the fully story at Dr. Hawass' blog:

Culture Minister, Farouk Hosni, announced that following two years of negotiations and investigations, the 21st Dynasty (1070-945 BC) coffin of a private individual called Imesy is to be returned to Egypt.

[...]

On the basis of their investigation, ICE confiscated the coffin and contacted the SCA who requested that the object be seized. The SCA petitioned to DHS for the artifact’s return to Egypt. In November 2009, the matter went before US courts at which time the SCA presented their case with the help of a pro-bono lawyer from Miami. The importer eventually retracted his claim and withdrew from the case. The SCA agreed that the coffin be forfeited to US authorities with the guarantee that the object be repatriated to Egypt as soon as possible.

Arrangements are currently underway for the coffin to be handed over to the SCA as of March 10th, 2010, in Washington, DC during an official gala ceremony.

Other sources reporting on the same news: Discovery News and The Daily Star

Egyptian Priests Ate Like Gods and Paid by Dying Young

Originally published February 26, 2010 | Times Online | by Russell Jenkins | The following is an excerpt - click the above link to read the story in full:

Egyptologists and scientists at the University of Manchester have disclosed in The Lancet the cost of keeping the gods happy. By combining translations of hieroglyphic inscriptions on temple walls showing details of food offered to the gods with analysis of mummified remains, they have assessed their atherosclerosis, the build-up of fat and calcium in the arteries.

The findings show that cardiovascular disease affected the privileged of Ancient Egypt long before fried food and a sedentary life made heart attacks and strokes a modern killer. Rosalie David, of the university’s KNH Centre for Biomedical Egyptology, said that it was a telling message: :Live like a god and you will pay with your health.:

Other sources reporting on the same news: Earth Times and Yahoo! News UK

Massive Head Of Pharaoh Unearthed In Egypt

Originally published February 28, 2010 | NPR and AP | An excerpt:

Archaeologists have unearthed the massive head of one Egypt's most famous pharoahs who ruled nearly 3,400 years ago, the Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities announced Sunday.

The head of Amenhotep III, which alone is about the height of a person, was found in the ruins of the pharaoh's mortuary temple in the southern city of Luxor.

Radio Interview & Podcast - Pioneers of the Past Exhibit

Accessed February 19, 2010 | Oriental Institute - Facebook | Dr. Emily Teeter and friends will be talking about the new exhibit at the Oriental Institute called Pioneers of the Past from 9 - 11pm CT on WGN Radio AM 720 today (Friday, February 19, 2010). They will take callers' questions starting at 10pm.

I believe you can listen live online. I'm not sure if you have to reside in the States for this feature to work (I know I can't watch Dr. Who episodes from the official web site because I don't live in the UK). If this happens to be the case, there will be a podcast of the interview after the broadcast: http://www.wgnradio.com/shows/ext720/.

Upcoming Ancient Egypt Programs on the Discovery Channel

Accessed February 18, 2010 | Discovery Channel | Here is a list of upcoming programs on the Discovery Channel about Ancient Egypt, from the Great Sphinx to Cleopatra, Hatshepsut, and Tutankhamun. It's going to be an awesome weekend!

• Date: February 21, 2010
  Program Name: The Sphinx Unmasked
  Time: 1pm ET
  
  
• Date: February 21
  Program Name: When Ancient Egypt Fell
  
  Time: 2pm ET
  
• Date: February 21, 2010
  Program Name: Egypt's Ten Greatest Discoveries
  Time: 3 and 4pm ET
  
  
• Date: February 21, 2010
  Program Name: Secrets of Egypt's Lost Queen
  Time: 5 and 6pm ET
  
  
• Date: February 21 and 22, 2010
  Program Name: Cleopatra - Portrait of a Killer
  Time: 7pm (2/21) and 2am (2/22) ET
  
  
• Date: February 21 - 23
  Program Name: King Tut Unwrapped
  Time: 8 and 10pm ET (2/21); 12am, 6pm, 8pm, 10pm ET (2/22); and 12am ET (2/23)

What Plagued the Boy King?

Originally published February 16, 2010 | CNN Health | by Val Willingham | After hundreds (well, dozens is more like it) of years of speculation concerning what plagued the Boy King so greatly that it ended his life so soon. The results are in: the legendary Egyptian "boy king" Tutankhamun, commonly known as King Tut, died of conditions including malaria and complications from a leg fracture, according to a study published this week in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Read this article for the at-long-last information for which we Egyptomaniacs have been pining for quite some time. The following source has a lot a great detail and I'd recommend you reading this one as well: Aol News.

Press Conference to be Held at Egyptian Museum

Originally published February 15, 2010 | Zahi Hawass' Blog | by Dr. Hawass | Two very important events to the Egyptology world will occur on February 17: an 11am conference to announce new discoveries surrounding the family of Tutankhamun and the cause of the young king’s death and the publishing of these findings in JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association). While you wait for those events, here's a video to keep you in the Tutmania mood:

Discovering Pyramids - The Tomb of Queen Sesheshet

Originally published February 3, 2010 | Smithsonian Magazine | by Stephan Glain | An excerpt:

When you make your living unearthing the royal riches of ancient Egypt, the beginning is a very distant place indeed – more than four millennia away, during the time of the 6th dynasty. We are standing on the rim of the necropolis of King Teti at Saqqara, where Karar and his team of archaeologists are excavating the tomb of Queen Sesheshet, Teti's mother. The tomb, and the once five-story-high pyramid that accommodates it, was until recently a dump for the sand and detritus of surrounding digs. But the intuitive power of Karar and his inimitable boss, Zahi Hawass, secretary general of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities, rescued it from oblivion last November. It was a once-in-a-lifetime strike – how often does one "discover" a pyramid? – and it may shed light on a particularly notorious episode in a pharaonic tradition of court intrigue and murder most foul.

[...]

Hawass, who began working at the Saqqara necropolis in 1988, says Sesheshet's pyramid "might be the most complete subsidiary pyramid ever found" in the area. It is certainly one of the largest. The remains of its 72-square-foot base suggests a pitch of 51 degrees, a common feature of 5th and 6th century pyramidal design, and a height of 46 feet. Large, smoothly carved blocks of limestone around the southern end of its foundation is all that's left of the casing that gave Egyptian pyramids of the time their clean, elegant lines. The entire structure would have been built with bronze tools.

Karar and his team waited several weeks before opening the tomb's burial chamber so as not to disrupt the remains while the surface excavation was going on. In January, when they finally entered the chamber, they found a mummy inside wrapped in linen and conclusive evidence to suggest it is Sesheshet, Hawas told the Cairo-based Al Ahram Weekly.

Lecture & Symposium - Radiocarbon Dating & Egyptian Chronology

Accessed February 16, 2010 | University of Oxford | On March 17 and 18, the Research Laboratory for Archaeology & the History of Art, Oxford University will host a conference about radiocarbon dating and the Egyptian chronology. Accompanying this conference is a free public lecture and reception at the Oxford University Museum of Natural History and a symposium (admission fee) that will discuss the results of the Egyptian Chronology Project (a program with the aim to investigate the consistency of the historical chronology with dates obtained via the radiocarbon method) at the Ashmolean Museum. For more detailed information, please visit the above web site. There is also a conference schedule available.

Lecture - Ritual and Magic in Ancient Egypt

Originally published February 11, 2010 | Egypt at the Manchester Museum | On Saturday, March 6 from 10am to 4:30pm Drs. Mark Collier, Steven Snape, and Kasia Szpakowska present a program that will explore the role and use of magic in Ancient Egypt, how rituals were performed, and who performed them. Each speaker will present case studies designed to give attendees a detailed understanding of the expressions of ritual and magic in Pharaonic Egypt. Dr. Szpakowska presents The Darker Side of Magic in Ancient Egypt, Dr. Snape presents Pots, Potions, and Dancing Dwarves, Dr. Collier presents The Scorpion's Sting. In addition to the talks, guests are invited to the Department’s Garstang Museum where they will have the unique opportunity to handle and learn about key objects from the museum’s collection. The Manchester Museum has a brochure for the program available as well as a booking form.

CSI Cairo: How Science Will Solve the Mystery of Tutankhamun

Originally published February 14, 2010 | The Independent | by Andrew Johnson | New technology is helping answer the riddles in the life and death of the boy king; it has cracked other historical cases too including laser scans on the Great Sphinx and other technological efforts put on non-Egyptian, yet ancient things. This article isn't divulging Tutankhamun's test results; it's just a teaser announcing that the results will be revealed this coming Wednesday. The anticipation is killing me! Here's another article reporting on the same news from Monsters and Critics.

Strolling on the Avenue of Sphinxes

Originally published February 11, 2010 | Al-Ahram Weekly Online | by Nevine El-Aref | Tourists will soon be able to see two sections of the Avenue of Sphinxes in Luxor looking much as they did in the days of the Pharaohs. Nevine El-Aref takes a stroll down the path of priests and princes in her very detailed article regarding this very exciting excavation program.

Lecture - Interconnections and Trade Between Crete/the Aegean Islands and Egypt

Originally published February , 2010 | Challenging the Past | by Marsia Bealby | On February 20th at 2:00pm UK time Marisa Bealby of the University of Birmingham will be conducting a lecture on the interconnections and trade between Crete and Egypt from 1850 to 1400 B.C.E at the New Walks Museum in Leicester, UK.

Video - Petrie Museum Celebrates LGBT History Month

Originally posted January 28, 2010 | YouTube | by UCLTV | To celebrate LGBT History Month, for the third year, the UCL Petrie Museum has created an LGBT History Trail of objects that tell of homosexuality in ancient Egypt with considerable attention being paid to Egyptian myths and legends. John Johnston, PhD student in UCL Archaeology, points out a few of the objects on display that best represent this topic, which include reliefs, and sculptures, and a 12th Dynasty papryus. Directly related to this event is an exhibit called Beyond Osiris and Isis: Alternate Sexualities in Ancient Egypt, which I mentioned in my February 6th post (Upcoming Lectures & Workshops at the Petrie Museum) about a week ago. This exhibit lasts until April 1, 2010.

Luxor Temple Excavations

Originally published February 9, 2010 | Luxor News Blog | by Jane Akshar | Ms. Akshar gives us a peek at the continuing excavations happening near Luxor, especially those done at the tell behind the Pashas House. She gives approving remarks about the field schools that train professionals on the job. Jane also includes several pictures capturing a few great sites to see near the area, including talatat bricks of the Amarna Period.

Opening the Children’s Exhibit at the Cairo Museum

Originally published February 12, 2010 | Zahi Hawass' Blog | by Dr. Hawass | The recent opening of the Children's Exhibit at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo has resulted in many great things, according to Zahi Hawass. He is very pleased that children of Egypt and around the world have an ancient Egyptian exhibit they can relate to, one that features famous Egyptian icons in LEGO form. There is also a workshop for children that teaches them about the Egyptian heritage and has graduated a thousand students. Read his blog post for a more detailed look at Dr. Hawass' reactions to this permanent exhibit.

Remaking History’s Shelves: SCA's Plan for New Museums

Accessed February 14, 2010 | Egypt Today | by Michael Kaput | This article is an overview of the SCA's ongoing and future plans to develop and restore museums to create better areas for housing the nation's antiquities, which have been in dire need of an appropriate and safe environment to be showcased. Here is an excerpt:

The building that houses the office in charge of the nation’s museums at the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA) downtown is grand but half-finished. With some work, it could be truly magnificent. Whether that work gets done anytime soon is anyone’s guess. The same could be said about the SCA’s colossal undertaking to give the country’s staggering collection of artifacts a new showcase.

Flush with ticket revenue from international exhibitions and local tourist sites, the SCA is in the midst of a project that will see 20 new museums covering every governorate, and long-closed favorites re-opening to the public over the next five years. More than just cash cows feeding on tourist dollars, however, the new museums are also hope to reconnect Egyptians with their own heritage, in their own neighborhoods.

...

Part of the SCA’s plan is to air out the museum, transferring more than 20 percent of the objects, including the famed royal mummies, to the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization (NMEC) in El Fustat, due to open in two years. King Tutankhamun’s treasures will be moved to the new Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) being built at the Giza Plateau, which the Museum Sector head confirms is on schedule to open in five years.

Three Decades of Discovery - New Insight to Egypt’s Past

Accessed February 14, 2010 | Egypt Today | by May Kaddah | Over the last three decades, technological advancement has allowed archaeologists to answer longstanding questions and refute misconceptions about missing details of Egypt’s history. From the remains of ancient rulers to Napoleon’s flagship, Egypt Today takes you through some of archaeology’s most significant discoveries in the last 30 years, which includes the following topics: tombs of the pyramid builders, the Valley of the Golden Mummies, DNA analysis of Hatshepsut's tooth, the Theban Mapping Project, tomb of Rameses II's sons, underwater archaeology at Alexandria, and more.

Exhibit - Interpretations of Edfu

Originally published February 9, 2010 | Al-Masry Al-Yourn | by Andrew Bossone | A new contemporary exhibit, entitled Drawings of the time: Impressions From the Edfu Temple, will be showcased at the Egyptian Museum until April 8. It is a modern interpretation of ancient artwork and features drawings from the western staircase in Edfu temple by artists and professors Assunción Jódar Miñarro and Ricardo Marín Viadel. This article divulges the inspiration and development of the exhibit and includes exhibition information at the bottom. Pictures are also included to give you a peek at the beautiful interpretive artwork.

Otto Schaden's Dig Diary Feb 13 Update

Originally published February 13, 2010 | Dig Diary KV-63 | by Mudir Schaden | A few bits of news concerning the restoration work on and conservation of several of the items discovered within KV-63 including a funeral mask, coffin fragments and an infant's coffin, pottery and ceramics, and seal impressions. To see these items in there current state, photos are provided. My favorite is the funeral mask. It's so delicate and has a lovingly welcoming expression that makes me smile.

Zahi Remembers James Romano of the Brooklyn Museum of Art

Originally published February 9, 2010 | Zahi Hawass' Blog | by Dr. Hawass | Zahi recalls a tribute he presented at a conference about the life and work of the late James Romano of the Brooklyn Museum of Art. He also mentions his approval of the joint expedition conducting a survey of Malqata, a conservation project that James' widow, Diana Craig Patch, is co-directing.

Upcoming Exhibit - Seramón, el Enigma de la Momia

Accessed February 6, 2010 | Museo Arqueológico de Alicante

A special thanks goes to Marina Escolano Poveda for passing along some information about a new exhibit coming to the Archaeological Museum in Alicante (I've read it will run from March to October, 2010. I'm sure Marina will correct me if I'm wrong), which will showcase artifacts from the Louvre and Besançon museums, including two mummies (Seramon and Ankhpakhered), their coffins, and funerary equipment. In addition, a part of the exhibit is dedicated to Egyptian objects found at Phoenician, Roman, and other archaeological sites in the Alicante province. Be sure to check out this latter part of the exhibit, as Marina is part of its preparation, writing some of the descriptions of the artifacts for the catalog and advising about other Egyptological aspects of the general exhibit.

The web site is currently only in Spanish, but follow this link to read it in English (translated by Google Translate).

Course in Egypt - The Life and Works of the Theban Royal Tomb Makers

Accessed February 6, 2010 | Bloomsbury Summer School/Academy | Join John Romer, Renowned expert on Deir el-Medina and the Valley of the Kings, for a week-long series of lectures in the heart of Luxor November 10 - 17, 2010. Here is the course description:

The extraordinary achievement of the royal tombs of Thebes cannot be fully appreciated without an understanding of the environment in which they were made. John Romer will re-explore with you the world of the Theban New Kingdom. He will consider how and why the first royal tombs were made at Thebes, and how the tomb makers who lived at Deir el Medina elaborated that tradition to create the great tombs of the Valley of the Kings. He will also explore the purposes and meanings of these tombs - and something also, of the lives and times of the archaeologists and Egyptologists who have shaped our present understanding of them. Finally, in the light of fresh and, as yet, largely unpublished evidence, he will outline a new history of the ending of the Valley of the Kings and of the remarkable community of those who worked there.

Click the above link to find a list a suggested reading, booking and programme information, and registration fees.

New Exhibit - Abu Simbel: the Salvaging of the Monuments

Originally published February 5, 2010 | Al-Ahram Weekly Online | by Nevine El-Aref | This article is a reaction by the author to the new exhibit entitled Abu Simbel: the Salvaging of the Monument, which is currently in Al-Sama Khana in Sayeda Zeinab and will soon be touring Europe and then worldwide. It highlights in photographic form, Italy's help in rescuing Nubian monuments during the Salvage Campaign of the 1960s and 70s. Follow the above link to read Nevine's detailed description of the history and importance behind this exhibit.

The following is an excerpt:

The idea for an exhibition was dreamed up last year in Rome by the World Wide Artists Association and the Chamber of Commerce in Rome to highlight the role of Italy in rescuing Nubian monuments from the rising waters of Lake Nasser following the construction of the Aswan High Dam. The exhibition was previously shown in 2009 in Rome inside the Temple of Hadrian. The exhibition will later tour some of the principle capitals of Europe and worldwide.

[...]

The event is taking the form of a worldwide documentary exhibition and will have a high impact, with images never before published. It will enhance not only the natural and historical value of the archaeological site, but also the anthropological aspect, paying particular attention to the human resources involved in the feat, the methodologies employed and the machinery and equipment used, as well as the projects throughout their development and realization.

[...]

According to the official statement by the organiser, the exhibition will strive to meet two main objectives: one that of reaching a global public, bringing to them awareness of the history of man, of what was achieved, the ideas that took shape in the knowledge of the convergence of historical and archaeological themes, in an effort to involve the "public at large", not only those who dedicate themselves daily to this fascinating field, the other is that of taking advantage of this unique opportunity to valorise the entrepreneurial network between Rome, Italy and Egypt's social and economic realities.

Upcoming Lectures & Workshops at the Petrie Museum

Accessed February 5, 2010 | Petrie Museum | Will you be in the London area? You may want to check out these upcoming events (lectures, workshops, and more), hosted by the Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology:

• Date: February 9
  Lecture: Beyond Isis & Osiris: Alternative Sexualities in Egypt
  Time: 6 - 8pm
  Venue: Malet Place at the Petrie Museum
  Location: London, UK
  



• Date: February 19
  Lecture: Ancient Egypt in National Museums Liverpool
  Time: 6:30pm - 9:30pm
  Venue: Lecture Theatre, G6 Institute of Archaeology
  Location: 31-34 Gordon Square WC1E; London, UK



• Date: June 26
  Workshop: Egypt on TV
  Time: 9:30am - 5:00pm
  Venue: The Wish FM Lounge, DW Football Stadium
  Location: Loire Drive, Robin Park, WN5 0UH; Wigan, UK
  

Forthcoming Egyptology Books

Accessed February 5, 2010 | Blackwell Bookshop Online | Here's a list of some books that will be released and sold very soon. So, if you're like me and want to buy new publications for your personal library, follow the link and get to shopping. Upcoming publications include titles like Money in Ptolemaic Egypt, Preserving Egypt's Cultural Heritage, Ancient Egyptian Art, and The Legacy of Egyptian Mythology. A head's up, the prices listed at the e-commerce site are in English pounds.

Laser Scanning the Sphinx

Originally published February 4, 2010 | Zahi Hawass' Blog | by Dr. Hawass | Laser scanning technology has captured a detailed record of the face of the Sphinx, the information of which has been used to create the most accurate 3D model of the Sphinx ever, the likes of which will be used to measure the effects of humans and nature on the infamous monument. The entire process and everything that encompasses it will play an important part in its conservation.

Volunteer Opportunities at the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum

Accessed February 4, 2010 | Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum | Calling all lovers of ancient cultures - the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum has volunteering opportunities available for you! Visit the REM web site for more information. There is also an internship opening, which is a two-month gig. Here is the application form if you're interested in either opportunity. REM also requests you to forward a resume and cover letter to the following email address: supervisor@egyptianmuseum.org.

Project Manager Selected for Grand Egyptian Museum

Originally published February 2, 2010 | Yahoo! Finance | An announcement about the selection of a project manager for the construction of the Grand Egyptian Museum, which promises to result in successful development of the future pharaonic museum of iconic proportions. The following is an excerpt:

The Grand Egyptian Museum, which has a total estimated project cost of approximately $550 million, will be the largest and most important Pharaonic museum in the world, the largest museum in Egypt and one of the leading scientific, historical and archaeological study centers on the globe. The museum’s twenty-first century galleries will be located in an iconic and distinctive building located where Cairo meets the desert, abutting the Giza Pyramids world heritage site. The museum, designed by Heneghan Peng Architects, Ove Arup, Buro Happold and others, will cover 3,500 years of ancient Egyptian history and house more than 100,000 artifacts.

"With the selection of a project manager, we have achieved yet another milestone in the development of the Grand Egyptian Museum," said Farouk Hosny, Egypt’s Minister of Culture. "In Hill/EHAF, we have the expertise of a world-class project management team to ensure that this project will be completed successfully," he added.

Upcoming Workshops at the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum

Accessed February 4, 2010 | Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum | The following are a few upcoming and recurring workshops at the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum about mummification, jewelry, and hieroglyphs - each are linked to the events page on the Rosicrucion Facebook Page (click the above link to visit the museum's web site):

• Date: February 6, 2010
  Lecture: Ancient Egyptian Mummies (1st Saturday of the Month)
  Time: 12:30pm - 1:00pm
  


• Date: February 7, 2010
  Workshop: Hieroglyph Workshop (every Sunday at 11:30am and every Thursday at 4:00pm)
  Time: 11:30am - 12:00pm
  


• Date: February 7, 2010
  Lecture: Ancient Egyptian Jewelry (1st Sunday of the Month)
  Time: 12:30pm - 1:00pm
  

Lecture - Mummies, Science, and Egyptology II

Originally published February 3, 2010 | The University of Manchester | The University of Manchester and presenter Dr. Rosalie David will be hosting a lecture entitled Mummies, Science and Egyptology II on Saturday, February 6 to discuss the scientific study of Ancient Egyptian mummies, which will include the question, "Was the great Pharaoh Ramesses II a true redhead?" The day school will also reveal how modern scientific investigations and archaeological research are helping to reveal more about the lives of other Ancient Egyptians: Horemkenesi, high priest of Amun at Karnak; Meresamun, a temple singer; and Asetirikhetes, the Ptolemaic mummy from 305 B.C.E. Follow the link to book a spot for yourself.

New Exhibit - the Eternal Light of Egypt

Originally published February 4, 2010 | Times Union | by Tim Kane | This article announces a new photographic exhibit called The Eternal Light of Egypt by Sarite Sanders, coming to the Albany Institute of History and Art June 13, which brings the ethereal back into the monuments of Ancient Egypt. I had the pleasure of seeing a preview this past spring, where a few of Sarite's photographs were on display at the Loyola University Museum of Art. If these were but a hint at what an entire exhibit dedicated to her photography would be like, I imagine this new exhibit is stunning. This reminds me of the tomb of Tutankhamun: such an historically unimportant king found in such a beautifully decorated tomb, a thought that makes one wildly wonder how much more splendidly the most important rulers' tombs were filled with riches. That said, the second page of this article contains all the information you need to visit the exhibit, including contact information, hours of operation, and more.

Naughty Hieroglyphic Graffiti at the UofC

Originally published February 2, 2010 | Crescat Graffiti, Vita Excolatur | by Quinn Dombrowski | Not nearly as obviously naughty as the Hatshepsut-Senenmut graffito, but just as interesting, is the latest bit of graffiti (in hieroglyphs no less!) to grace the walls of the library at the University of Chicago. Who knew that Egyptological scholars (or perhaps students?) at the UofC had dirty minds (because that's the sentence that just pops into one's head when one is studying in the library!) Fifty scribes just punched the air.

More Regarding the Avenue of Sphinxes in Luxor

Originally published February 3, 2010 | Zahi Hawass' Blog | by Zahi Hawass | More details about the excavations at Luxor on the Sphinx Alley including the latest developments, the long history of contributors to the Alley and its surroundings, and more. Here's an excerpt:

Hosni said that the Avenue of Sphinxes, built by the 30th Dynasty king Nectanebo I (380-362 BC), is 2,700 meters long and 76 meters wide, and lined with a number of statues in the shape of sphinxes. Hosni added that the avenue is one of the most important archaeological and religious paths in Luxor, as it was the location of important religious ceremonies in ancient times, most notably the Opet festival. Queen Hatshepsut (1502-1482 BC) recorded on her red chapel in Karnak temple that she built six chapels dedicated to the god Amun-Re on the route of this avenue during her reign, emphasizing that it was long a place of religious significance.

...

Dr. Hawass explained that the work was carried out in three phases; the first was to build a low wall alongside the avenue in order to preserve it from any further encroachment, the second phase is the excavation and the third is restoration of the area.

Excavators unearthed a collection of Roman buildings and workshops of clay pots and statues as well as several reliefs. One of the reliefs bears the cartouche of Queen Cleopatra VII (51-30 BC). Dr. Hawass believes that this queen likely visited this avenue during her Nile trip with Mark Anthony and implemented restoration work that was marked with her cartouche.

Two articles by Ann Wuyts written for the Independent report on the same story: Excavation and Restoration on the Avenue of Sphinxes and Temple Fragment Return to Egypt and Its Place

King Tutankhamun's Senet Game Board in Photos

Originally published February 2, 2010 | Heritage Key | Heritage Key is working closing with Sandro Vannini to bring visual representation of Tutankhamun's senet board games, which were found in his tomb, possibly denoting his love for the game. In addition to giving a short history of the game and its significance to the ancient Egyptians, the article provides loads of great resources on the matter: a Senet Board slideshow, King Tut Virtual, a video of Vannini's photography, and more.

Lectures - Zahi Hawass in Canada, Germany, and the US

Accessed February 2, 2010 | Zahi Hawass' Blog | by Zahi Hawass | Two upcoming lectures with Zahi Hawass as the speaker will be occurring in Toronto, Canada and Hamburg, Germany. Here is the information concerning both dates:

• Date: March 26, 2010
  Lecture: Dr. Zahi Hawass: My Discoveries
  Time: 7:30pm - 8:30pm
  Location: Am Dammtor, 20355 Hamburg, Germany
  Venue: Congress Centre Hamburg
  Ticket & more info



• Date: March 8, 2010
  Lecture: Mysteries of Tutankhamun Revealed
  Time: 7:30 pm
  Location: 301 Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco, California
  Venue: War Memorial Auditorium Opera House
  Ticket & more info



• Date: March 6, 2010
  Lecture: Mysteries of Tutankhamun Revealed
  Time: 7:00 pm
  Location: 31 King's College Circle, Toronto, Ontario
  Venue: Convocation Hall
  Ticket & more info

Egypt Tightens Penalties for Relics Robbers, Smugglers

Originally published February 2, 2010 | Agence France Presse and Google | by Riad Abu Awad | An excerpt:

Parliament amended Egypt's antiquities law on Monday to bring in stiffer punishments for the theft and smuggling of relics while granting patent rights to the country's antiquities council.

The amendment requires Egyptians who have antiquities to report their possessions to the Supreme Council of Antiquities, headed by Zahi Hawass, in six months. The sale of antiquities is still banned.

"Parliament agreed on article eight that forbids trade in antiquities but allows possession of antiquities with some individuals, on condition that they cannot use them to benefit others, or to damage and neglect them," Hawass said.

Opening the Tomb of Sa-Iset

Originally published February 1, 2010 | Zahi Hawass' Blog | by Dr. Hawass | Dr. Zahi Hawass details the recent re-excavation of the burial chamber in Dashur of a Dynasty 12 vizier named Sa-Iset. He finds the need to lift the lid of the vizier's coffin to confirm that a previous excavator (Jacques de Morgan) did indeed do the same to perform excavation work underneath. He continues with a brief history of this tomb's place in history and it's significance (and it's intriguing aspects). He ends with this final note:

The important thing to remember is that this tomb is still very valuable, in its unique design and Pyramid Texts, and a complete study will reveal much information about the reign of Amenemhat II and the Middle Kingdom time in which Sa-Iset lived.

New Book - Amarna Sunset

Accessed January 31, 2010 | The American University in Cairo Press | "A new account of the return to orthodoxy after Akhenaten’s revolution. [...] This new study, drawing on the latest research, tells the story of the decline and fall of the pharaoh Akhenaten’s religious revolution in the fourteenth century BC." Visit this web page for publication information, pricing, and related works from the author (Aidan Dodson).

New February/March 2010 Issue of Ancient Egypt Magazine

Accessed January 31, 2010 | Ancient Egypt Magazine | Features include the following: The Rosetta Stone, News from Egypt, The Missing Link, Into Egypt's Eastern Desert, Investigating Early Mummification, The Cult of the Apis Bull, The Belly of Stones, Featured Pharaoh: Senusret III, Per Mesut: for young readers, and Architectural Gems. From this site you can purchase a copy of the magazine or read reviews of recent books and publications.