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).

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.

Egypt Relics Chief Pulls in Revenue as He Fights for Nefertiti

Originally published January 26, 2010 | Bloomberg | by Daniel Williams | This article highlights the past and future endeavors of one Dr. Zahi Hawass, none of which have come without controversy. Such endeavors have been the following: the request to return fragments from the Louvre, numerous attempts to regain the Nefertiti bust in the Neues Museum, the discovery that Egyptian workers had built the pyramids and not Hebrew slaves, the collection of billions in revenue from the Tutankhamun traveling exhibit to fund Egyptological projects, and the like.

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.

Nefertiti and the Legacy of Artifacts

Originally published November 6, 2009 | Student Life (Washington University) | by Kemi Aladesuyi

An excerpt from this article--click the above link to read it in full:

Artwork and artifacts from all four corners of the earth fill galleries and star in exhibits in museums across the world. In the world’s most prestigious museums and galleries, taking a stroll through the corridors has become synonymous with meandering through the history of cultures and civilizations that represent every continent on this planet. However, as we move forward into a new age of global awareness and understanding—and past the mantra of rampant imperialism that dominated the last five centuries—it is becoming clear that some of the artifacts that millions of global citizens marvel at today were originally taken from their place of origin illegally.

Queen Nefertiti - the Modern Helen of Troy

Originally published October 19, 2009 | Times Online | by Roger Boyes

Well, maybe "modern" is a bit of a stretch--Nef is just as old as Helen.

In any event, much like the Greek Helen of Troy, Egyptian officials have as their claim that Germany, way back in 1913, "abducted" Nefertiti from her native Egypt. If this is the case, Egypt has the right to have her back; however, Zahi Hawass will have her returned even if the contrary. She is, after all, the epitome of significant (and iconic) Egyptian specimens, recognizable to nearly everyone. Times Online chronicles the continuing saga, the battle between Egypt and Germany. Not to be outdone, the New York Times also reports on the same story.

Perhaps a little more lighthearted is a dialogue between the Huffington Post and the Queen herself (one pissed off majesty as it turns out). It's entertaining and a distraction from all the political craziness (you tell 'em Queenie!), further scrutinized in yet another New York Times article.

Tomb Fragments Come Back Home

Published week of 15 - 21 October 2009 | Al-Ahram Weekly Online | by Nevine El-Aref

The controversy over five 3,200-year-old ancient Egyptian tomb fragments removed from Egypt and put on display in the Louvre in Paris has finally come to a close, reports Nevine El-Aref.

Battle of the Louvre

Originally published October 14, 2009 | Zahi Hawass' Blog | by Dr. Hawass

In his own words, Dr. Hawass gives more details on the process to regain five fragments discovered in the hands of the Louvre illegally. Among the legal stuff, he describes how these fragments fit into Egyptian history (Dynasty 18, to be exact).

Egypt Asks British Museum for the Rosetta Stone After Louvre Victory

Originally published October 10, 2009 | Telegraph | by Samer al-Atrush

If there was a statute of limitation on stolen artifacts, the British Museum's years of ownership of the Rosetta Stone has past it. After all, Egyptology was but a fetus when the Napoleonic expedition discovered it and there were no rules that detailed who got what upon discovering Egyptian artifacts. However, it is a very significant (and iconographic) artifact that plays one of the greatest roles to Egyptology...the re-learning of the ancient literary language of the Egyptians, that is! My goodness! If Hawass can regain this artifact, then the Germans should have no more excuses to withhold the bust of Nefertiti from her native country!

France does the Right Thing and Gets to Dig at Saqqara Again

Originally published October 14, 2009 | Heritage Key | by Ann Wuyts

The Egyptology world has been abuzz about the latest drama going down at the SCA. It nearly cut ties with France's Louvre Museum in the event that officials didn't return reportedly stolen artifacts in its possession. Thank the gods that everything is just fine and dandy now. Just in case you missed all that swirling news, here is a list with all the details:

• Egypt Cuts Ties With Louvre Over Artifacts - October 7, CBSNEWS
• No Relics, No Ties - October 10, the Straits Times

And then France does the right thing:

• French Commission Agrees to Return Egyptian Art - October 9, Associated Press/Google
• France Ready to Hand Back Egyptian Murals - October 7, Yahoo! News/Reuters
• Louvre Agrees to Return Egyptian Relics - October 11, pressTV
• France to Return Disputed Tomb Fresco to Egypt - October 10, Washington Times (by Angela Charlton)
• Stolen Egyptian Relics On Their Way Home - October 9, Discovery Channel News (by Pascale Mollard-Chenebenoit)

Egypt Suspends Archaeological Cooperation with the Louvre

Originally published October 10, 2009 | Zahi Hawass' Blog

After a German expedition alerted the SCA of stolen fragments during work at Dra Abu'l Naga, the SCA started a procedure to regain them from the Louvre, who claimed they didn't know anything of the sort happened. Read the rest of this article to learn more. There are also other reports of the same caliber, one at BBC News and another from Agence France Presse.

Egyptian Study Tours 2010 - Egypt, Germany, Paris

Originally published July 15, 2009 | Challenging the Past Blog

For a fee between $520 and $2,500, you can register to participate in any of the three tours set for the early part of 2010: Cairo and Siwa oasis in Feburary, 2010 for 14 days; Hildesheim, Germany in May, 2010 for 4 days; or Paris, France in June, 2010 for 3 days. Download the program guide if you are interested, which includes a more detailed description of each study tour and contact information.

Who's in the Alexander Sarcophagus?

Originally published July 1, 2009 | The Wall Street Journal | by Judith H. Dobrzynski

This article examines the history of Sidon, ancient past and somewhat recent, and the treasures it has revealed, particularly a fantastically beautiful burial chamber depicting Alexander in battle and at hunt in high-relief, which until recently had been thought to have been Alexander's resting place. Yet, there is still disagreement as to the mystery of the Alexander Sarcophagus, but not to its craftsmanship.

The article goes on to describe the composition and history of each scene depicted on all sides of the sarcophagus, which also depicts Hephaestion among other things and beings. A pictures is provided to give you an idea from where this awe is originating.

Reconstructing the Afterlife in a Vanished Religion

Originally published May 23, 2009 | The New York Times | by Souren Melikian

Paris plays host to "the Doors of Heaven," supplemented by an accompanying book, that purports to explain the world view in Ancient Egypt, which remained relatively steadfast for 3,000 years. Statues, reliefs, carvings, and allegory from the Book of the Dead, particularly of Osiris and items from the Amarna period, play a prominent role in leading us through the secrets of the Ancient Egyptian perception of life and the Afterlife, as contradictory, eluding, and enigmatic, as they turn out to be.