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.

The Taharqa Gate: the Week of the Brick

Originally published January 29, 2010 | Brooklyn Museum Blog | by Mary McKercher | This post illustrates in beautiful pictures the work that is being done at the Taharqa Gate. Each day reveals new insight about the enclosure. Click the above link to review the Johns Hopkins University excavation's progress and see the amazing photos.

The Legacy of Howard Carter - Explorer and Thief?

Originally published January 15, 2010 | Free Internet Press | by Matthias Schulz, translated from German by Ella Ornstein | The following is an excerpt from this revealing article about perhaps the most well-known archaeologist, discoverer of perhaps the most well-known Ancient Egyptian pharaoh:

The grandeur of the find rubbed off on its discoverer. Carter was awarded an honorary doctorate and U.S. President Calvin Coolidge invited him to tea. Horst Beinlich, Egyptologist at Wurzburg University, calls him a "thoroughly honest man full of idealism."

It appears, however, that this isn't quite true. Documents show that the hero of the tombs cheated on many counts, manipulating photographs, forging documentation on the discovery and deceiving the Egyptian Antiquities Service.

The discoveries in that tomb set in motion a power struggle that has been only partially uncovered. Carter wanted to send as much of the treasure as possible to England and the United States. This plan quickly met with resistance. Egypt had been a British protectorate since 1914, but the administration of antiques lay in the hands of a particularly intractable Frenchman.

In the end, Carter's entire scheme went awry and the pharaoh's golden treasures remained in Cairo, marking the end of an era of ruthless appropriation of cultural assets. Carter and his team went away empty-handed.

The Mut Precinct: a Brooklyn Museum Feature

Accessed September 28, 2009 | Brooklyn Museum

Spellbound in Brooklyn

Originally published July 14, 2009 | Archaeology Magazine Online | by Morgan Moroney

Housed in a small gallery off the Brooklyn Museum's Egyptian wing is "Magic in Ancient Egypt: Image, Word, and Reality," an exhibition on view until October 8, 2009. Highlighting 20 objects from the museum's collection, it emphasizes how magic and religion, magic and science, even magic and health care, were inseparable in ancient Egypt. Despite its small stature and lack of videos or interactive computer displays, which sometimes overwhelm artifacts in exhibitions nowadays, "Magic" was an enjoyable presentation of a fascinating subject.

Video - Egypt Mummy Has Sex Changed

Originally published June 26, 2009 | National Geographic News

Follow the above link to see a video from National Geographic News on the Brooklyn Museum mummy whose gender had been mistaken. You will also find the unedited script below the video.

Surprises Rise From Dead: Mummy Turns Out to Be a Daddy

Originally published June 24, 2009 | Daily News | by Sarah Armaghan and Samuel Goldsmith

This article focuses mainly on the mummy that was discovered to be a man, chronicling the thought process as to how this mistake had been made and what other useful evidence the CT scans revealed in terms of understanding the Ancient Egyptians. The article also announces that the information from the scans and the CT scans themselves will be part of an exhibit.

The following is a video of this mummy going through the CT scan procedure, provided by NBC News - Chicago.

Ancient Egyptians Unwrapped: CT Scans Reveal Shrouded Secrets of 2,000-Year-Old Mummies

Originally published June 24, 2009 | Daily Mail Online | by Cher Thornhill

This article features more comprehensive information and updates on the Brooklyn Museum mummies' CT scanning experience, mainly focusing on the background of the mummy that turned out the be a man. It showcases many pictures from the CT scans and the mummy itself, along with accompanying descriptors. Reactions from the Sydney-based Egyptologist involved in the procedure is also chronicled.

Egyptian Mummies Get CAT Scans at L.I. Hospital

Originally published June 23, 2009 | 1010 Wins | by Mona Rivera

This article features more information and photos of the CT scanning of four mummies from the Brooklyn Museum. There is also a link to a photo gallery.

Photo Slideshow - Brooklyn Museum's Mummies Visit Hospital for CT Scanning

Originally published June 23, 2009 | Brooklyn Museum's Photostream


This slideshow showcases photos taken of the CT scanning of four mummies from the Brooklyn Museum at a hospital.

Follow the link to visit my blog post from yesterday, which links to an article on the matter.

LI Hospital CT Scan May Shed New Light on Mummies

Originally published June 21, 2009 | News Day | by Najib Aminy

The Brooklyn Museum's Egyptian Art Department and North Shore University Hospital in Manhasett form a collaboration to perform CT scanning on four Egyptian mummies. They hope to clear some of the mystery among them in discovering their causes of death and the mummification methods they underwent thousands of years ago.

Check back for future updates or follow the story on News Day's Twitter page

Helping the Ancient Ones Live Forever

Originally published June 5, 2009 | This Week Community Newspapers | by Cathy Wogan