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.

New Publication - Giza Mastabas

Originally published January 27, 2010 | David Brown Book Company | by Peter Der Manuelian | For those of you who are faced with difficulty in finding an Egyptological book that you don't have, here's a new publication (I will certainly have it on my bookshelf ones of these days. Here's an excerpt:

West of the Great Pyramid at Giza, the Fourth Dynasty pharaoh Khufu laid out scores of mastaba tombs for the elite members of ancient Egyptian society. Specific clusters of tombs seem to form architectural and archaeological units, prompting the modern division of the Giza Necropolis into discrete nucleus cemeteries. This book interprets the complete archaeological record of the mastabas of Cemetery G 2100, one of the six nucleus cemeteries at Giza. As a key to understanding Old Kingdom mortuary development at Giza, it explores the distinguishing features of such a grouping of tombs and tomb owners: relative chronology and individual artistic styles; common administrative titles, possible familial connections to the king; and the relationship of the earlier, major mastabas to the subsequent, minor burials surrounding them.

The web site also features an excerpt from the book itself, a batch of 3D photos featured in the book, notes about the author, and related publications.

Uncovering Secrets of the Sphinx

Originally published January 22, 2010 | Smithsonian Magazine | by Evan Hadingham | An excerpt from February's issue of Smithsonian, which features one of my favorite yet little known archaeologists (Emile Baraize); it's very reminiscent of the PBS/NOVA program that was on a week ago (available for purchase at PBS, in case you missed it):

After decades of research, American archaeologist Mark Lehner has some answers about the mysteries of the Egyptian colossus.

The Sphinx was not assembled piece by piece but was carved from a single mass of limestone exposed when workers dug a horseshoe-shaped quarry in the Giza plateau. Approximately 66 feet tall and 240 feet long, it is one of the largest and oldest monolithic statues in the world. None of the photos or sketches I’d seen prepared me for the scale. It was a humbling sensation to stand between the creature’s paws, each twice my height and longer than a city bus. I gained sudden empathy for what a mouse must feel like when cornered by a cat.

Nobody knows its original name. Sphinx is the human-headed lion in ancient Greek mythology; the term likely came into use some 2,000 years after the statue was built. There are hundreds of tombs at Giza with hieroglyphic inscriptions dating back some 4,500 years, but not one mentions the statue. “The Egyptians didn’t write history,” says James Allen, an Egyptologist at Brown University, “so we have no solid evidence for what its builders thought the Sphinx was....Certainly something divine, presumably the image of a king, but beyond that is anyone’s guess.” Likewise, the statue’s symbolism is unclear, though inscriptions from the era refer to Ruti, a double lion god that sat at the entrance to the underworld and guarded the horizon where the sun rose and set.

Cairo Exhibition Showcases Ancient and Modern Egyptian Portraits

Originally published January 14, 2010 | Al-Ahram Weekly Online | by Reham El-Adawi | The following is an excerpt from this article that chronicles a new exhibit at the Mohamed Mahmoud Khalil Museum's Horizon One Gallery in Giza, which examines the attractive theme of the human face, showcasing artists' point of view in depicting Egyptian faces:

Bisar also traces the history of portraiture from ancient Egyptian times to the modern age. Ancient Egyptian portraitists were admired for their craftsmanship and technique, with forms including murals, bas-reliefs and sculptures being common. Devotion and a sense of belonging were developed in sculptures depicting kings and members of the royal family, with one famous example being the portrait bust of Queen Nefertiti done by an ancient Egyptian sculptor.

Video: Tombs of the Pyramid Builders

Originally published January 14, 2010 | Zahi Hawass' Blog | by Dr. Hawass | The following video showcases an extra scene from the upcoming Nova special - Riddles of the Sphinx - and talks about Hawass' discovery of the pyramid builders' tombs near the Giza necropolis. (Just imagine, if it hadn't've been for a horse's misstep, we would be less knowledgeable on this subject!) Take a peek:

Upcoming Lectures and Events in Egyptology

If you have any free time, you may wish to attend any or all of the following upcoming lectures and events around the world (to attend them all, you would need to spend some money on plane tickets, so perhaps it is silly to encourage visiting them all):

When: January 27
Where: Our Lady of Lourdes High School Auditorium in Poughkeepsie, NY
Lecture: Dr. Bob Brier's The Secret of the Great Pyramid
Price: Free admission

When: January 16
Where: press room of the Palma-Arena, C/ de l'Uruguai s/n, Palma de Mallorca, Spain
Lecture: Marina Escolano Poveda's Beyond the Rosetta Stone. The Fundamental Role of the Coptic Language in the Decipherment of the Hieroglyphic Script

When: Through May 2010
Where: Greece (contact info is provided at Challenging the Past)
Seminars: Hellenic Society for the Study of Ancient Egypt

When: February 20
Where: University of London, Garden Halls - London, England
Workshop: Forensic Aspects of Ancient Egypt

Egypt Tombs Suggest Pyramids Not Built by Slaves

Originally published January 10, 2010 | Yahoo! News |

Hardly a surprise is what this article chronicles (along with many other sources): a new set of tombs built for the pyramid builders of the Giza Pyramids proves that they were Egyptian citizens rather than slaves.

Here are some another great sources concerning this recent piece of archaeological news, which includes a little more information and pictures: Press Release - New Tombs Found at Giza - Zahi Hawass' Blog and Tomb Discovery Helps Solve Ancient Slavery Riddle of the Pyramids - Daily Mail

Somewhere in the world, 57 academics just punched the air.

News from the Desk of Zahi Hawass

From November 13 - December 13, 2009 | Zahi Hawass' Blog | by Dr. Hawass

Articles:

• December 13: Tourist Regulations
• December 9: The Tomb of Sa-Iset at Dashur
• November 24: Climate Change and Conservation in Egypt
• November 16: Site Management at Giza

Video:

• December 10: Tomb Robbers in the Valley of the Kings
• December 3: King Tut’s Treasure
• November 26: The Curse of Tutankhamun
• November 20: How Did King Tut Die?

Photos:

• December 7: Tomb of Amenemhab
• December 2: The Mummy of Sitre-In
• November 26: Yuya and Thuya Canopic Jars
• November 20: Seti I Tunnel

Giza's Cave Underworld Finally Revealed

Originally published October 13, 2009 | Challenging the Past | by Marisa Sfakianou Bealby

See also the article at La Boite Archeologique

Perhaps the real reason Zahi Hawass is discrediting Collins is he'd rather be the one to make such a discovery. It would benefit his endeavors to bring more significant discoveries to Egyptian (rather than foreign) archaeologists and Egyptologists. Yesterday's posting about the hydrological work on the Sphinx attempts to disprove the theory of an underground chamber, but it's clear the SCA documented this work par vidéo only to say that they did examine the theory.

Drilling Under the Sphinx

Originally published October 15, 2009 | Heritage Key | by Keith Payne

This entertaining article explores all corners of the fairly recent hydrological work being performed on the Great Sphinx to nip in the bud any possible future water damage to the ancient (and don't forget mysterious!) monument. A video accompanies the information, which also gives lip service to Hawass and Lehner's conclusion that there aren't any subterranean chambers hidden under the Sphinx. Argh! Thanks for ruining it for all the day dreamers :P

The following is an article at Zahi Hawass' Blog of his and Lehner's work at the Giza Necropolis.

Egypt to Combat Emissions With Solar Power

Originally published September 29, 2009 | Mena Infrastructure | by Timon Singh

Perserving Giza's Archaeological Heritage

Originally published September 27, 2009 | Zahi Hawass' Blog | by Dr. Hawass

I recommend hopping over to the Giza Archives web site; it is truly amazing! I've been working on a novel of the historical fiction kind for a few years now and it will prove very useful to me indeed. By the way, my novel is set at the end of (roughly around October/November) 1926 and takes place at the Giza Necropolis, specifically at camp Emile Baraize and the Great Sphinx. I can't believe the diary pages in this archival database describe a very jovial Baraize, ever-willing to point out the details of the Great Sphinx ;) And what he points out to the diary writer is exactly what he points out to the main characters in my book! That is just too weird. I know I'll be using this as a resource for the remainder of my writing, particularly since Baraize is a hard man to peg in terms of finding his publications, which are mainly unpublished. Good thing that web site has this media too.

Oh yeah, and Dr. Hawass has some great ideas and things to say about the preservation of the Giza Necropolis and the dissemination of information and images on it.

EES 2010 Tour to Egypt

Originally published September 22, 2009 | Egypt Exploration Society

When: Saturday, March 13 - 27, 2010; Key Figures: Professor Alan Lloyd, Faten Saleh, and Ros Phipps; Contact: Emily Feasey (The Traveller) +44 (0)20 7436 9343 or email info@the-traveller.co.uk; Cost: £2635 (per person)/Single room supplement £332. The program guide offers more details and descriptions about this trip; click the link to access it.

Exact Date Pinned to Great Pyramid's Construction?

Originally published September 21, 2009 | National Geographic News | by Andrew Bossone

Sothis, the Dog Star, turns out to be the variable that solves the problem of the exact dating of the construction of the Great Pyramid at Giza for one Egyptian team. Like any good debate, this article examines both sides: the Egyptians present their evidence and others counteract.

I like to stray from saying "a culture always did something this way" when describing a peoples' endeavors because people are quite unpredictable (even Ancient Egyptians, who seemed to be very purposeful when it came to all aspects of the humanities!). Although scholars like to pin things down (or try to), sometimes one has to be satisfied with words like "probably," "about," "perhaps" and the like.

Cultural Exchange with the USA

Originally published September 15, 2009 | Zahi Hawass' Blog | by Dr. Hawass

The following is an excerpt from Zahi Hawass' Blog; click on the above link to read his blog post in its entirety:

I think these study trips are very important for the young people of Egypt. It is important for them to travel abroad and befriend diverse people; it opens their minds to have international friends and increases their knowledge of the outside world. I can see how much Rania has changed; she has applied what she learned on the study tour to her work here, and I can see that she will have a very bright future. Helen and I talked about how we will send more young Egyptians for training in the future, and it is my hope that we will continue to work with the American people to promote cultural exchange through these study trips.

Dr. Hawass also talks about his meeting with President Obama and the pictures taken during that time and his hopes that he will inspire people to donate to the Childrens Museum in Cairo so that it will thrive.

Picture - Groundwater Testing Under the Great Sphinx

Originally published September 10, 2009 | Zahi Hawass' Photo Blog | photo credited to Sandro Vannini

A team at Giza drills to test groundwater levels underneath the Sphinx. In 2008, a project was initiated to protect the Sphinx from the rising water table in the area.

Hawass Debunks Collins' Cave Controversy

Originally published September 9, 2009 | Zahi Hawass' Blog | by Dr. Hawass

Dr. Hawass describes in detail why Andrew Collins' observation about a "cave complex" under the Giza Plateau. Hawass is right to call the theory out for what it is: hokum, if you know anything about the Giza Plateau; although I think his words are a bit snooty. Not everyone is a scholar like you and I dear reader ;)

He provides an example of good reading, and I will provide just the opposite because I think it is a terribly amusing book, albeit very old, out of date, and a sign of the times: Everett W. Fish's, The Egyptian Pyramids, an Analysis of a Great Mystery.

Governor Stirs Controversy Over Great Pyramid of Giza

Originally published September 6, 2009 | Gulf News | by Ramadan Al Sherbini

Zahi Hawass, head of Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities, has objected to the governor of Giza’s announcement of an annual "Giza Day" on August 23. He objects because we don't know the exact day the Great Pyramid was built. I wouldn't mind a "Giza Day;" it doesn't have to reflect the exact day of construction (or completion for that matter), just a day that is dedicated to the structure. I'm sure if Farouk Hosni proposed it that way, Dr. Hawass wouldn't raise any objections.

Alternatives to the World's Worst Tourist Traps

Originally published August 29 (UK time), 2009 | Times Online

It mostly speaks of the Meroe pyramids in the Sudan; it's less an article that bashes the pyramids (as the title seems to suggest), more one that gives detailed information about the Meroe pyramids in the Sudan and the Meroe civilization.

The following is a preview of the contents of the article; click the above link to read it in its entirtey:

Some ideas are too good to be forgotten. When Egypt’s pyramid boom burnt out in 2500BC, the country’s signature tomb design found its way up the Nile to northern Sudan, where it was embraced more than 2,000 years later by the Kushite Kingdom.

Evidence of this architectural revival can be found at the great royal cemeteries of Bagrawiya, better known as the pyramids of Meroe, where dozens of steep-sided pyramids litter the desert. This may be Sudan’s most iconic sight, but visitors are likely to have the tombs all to themselves, with only the sound of the desert wind in their ears.

Explore Ancient Egypt with Fairmont & National Geographic

Originally published August 26, 2009 | Yahoo! News

If you're willing to spend $960 and would like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to explore the secrets of Egypt through lectures, tours, and a felucca ride in the company of Zahi Hawass, then this offer is certainly for you. This Global Explorer Series from Fairmont Hotels & Resorts and the National Geographic Society runs from November 27 - 30, 2009 and has many fabulous incentives (as if Dr. Hawass wasn't enough, my goodness!). Click on the above link to read more on this offer.

The following is a direct link to the Fairmont Towers web site, where you can book the tour.