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Egyptian News Roundup
Antiquity Developments
While there are always many seemingly unrelated
discoveries or antiquity revelations in the press about Egypt,
several items this month have received considerable attention.
Among these are the Cleopatra exhibit at the British Museum, new
discoveries in the Eastern Desert, the possibility of additional
rooms in the Great Pyramid and a debate on the reality of the
Exodus.
Cleopatra at the British Museum
Perhaps the Cleopatra exhibit, which by all
rights should be popular, received more attention than it was due.
Give credit to the museum's promotional staff for this unusual
amount of interest. It all started with a claim that Cleopatra may
not have been the beauty that legend tells us. Obviously, this
stirred more than a little debate and generated a lot of publicity
for the exhibit. In the end, we still do not have any glamour
shots to peruse, but to many, her love life certainly seems to
indicate a woman with considerable charm.
Valley of the Golden Mummies
Probably of more interest are the finds that
keep popping up in the Western Desert of Egypt, notably in the
Bahariya Oasis. The Egyptian government has been trying to get
more tourists into the area for years. Now, mainstream tourists
will have a reason to go there. The area already boasts twelve
hotels and four more are under construction.
This year’s discoveries in the Oasis, in an
area referred to as the Valley of the Golden Mummies, include the
wife of Eyuf Ankh. She was decorated with 100 gold amulets, the
largest number ever. The powerful pharaoh's own tomb was
discovered last year. Hundreds of gilded mummies have been found
in the valley, with new ones being unearthed each month.
Secret Chambers within the Great Pyramid
More than one group has apparently suggested the
astounding possibility of additional rooms within the Great
Pyramid of Giza. Now, a French team of researchers has petitioned
the Egyptian government to allow drilling within the Pyramid based
on radar imaging that they say may indicate cavities. Probably the
most interesting aspect of this at present is that the Egyptian
government is actually considering their request. Usually they are
adamantly against speculative projects such as this.
The Story of Exodus
Another considerable revelation came from the
Jewish community when Rabbi David Wolpe raised questions
concerning the Exodus. His provocative sermon delivered at Sinai
Temple in Los Angeles questions the authenticity of the Exodus.
After a century of excavations, there is little evidence that has
been found to substantiate that Israelites were ever enslaved, or
wandered the Sinai wilderness for 40 years, or for that matter,
were ever even in Egypt. However, Rabbi Wolpe's claims are not
isolated. Earlier, an Israeli archeologist, Ze'ev Herzog of Tel
Aviv University and other Israeli scholars have raised similar
doubts.
Other Antiquity News
A joint Egyptian-US archaeological mission in
Tel Al-Bourg in Northern Sinai unearthed a collection of pottery,
as well as a granite pillar inscribed with the name Ramses II. The
findings are thought to date back to the time of Amenhotep who
ruled Egypt between 1459 and 1425 BC.
A relief of a goddess carved during the reign of
Seti I, which was looted from the ancient city of Memphis, has
been returned to Egypt by the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New
York.
The University of Texas and the Polish Institute
report finding antiquities from the pre-dynastic era at Al Nabta,
100 kilometers west of Abu Simbel. Included among the finds at
this site is the oldest clock ever discovered, estimated to be
6,500 years old.
An expedition of the Supreme Council of
Antiquities (SCA) has discovered a camp dating to the Byzantine
age. The camp, located on the Alexandria-Matrouh highway,
apparently dates from a very early period of Christianity.
Restoration is underway on many of the Islamic
monuments located in Al Muez Al Din Allah street and Fatimid
Cairo. Most of the monuments can still be visited, including Bab
Al Zawila. Other current restoration efforts include the Ibn Tulun
Mosque.
Want to adopt a mummy in the Egyptian Museum in
Cairo? You can, ranging from $50 for "co-parenting" a
mummy snake to $800 for being sole adopter of an ancient
crocodile. "Parents" get a photograph and information
pack. See http://animalmummies.com/adopt.html
Finally, thanks to National Geographic,
Akhenaten was in the news this month, generating much discussion
in the newsgroups. While not that much new material was disclosed
in the National Geographic feature article, none was really needed
as Egypt enthusiasts seem to need little in the way of stimulus to
encourage them to talk up this rebellious Pharaoh.
Travel
Delta is now going to Egypt from the US and is
offering fares from select U.S. destinations to Cairo, round trip
for $760.00. Currently this fair is only good for flights that
commence between June 16 and Sept 29, 2001 and must be completed
by Oct 29, 2001.
Bibliotheca Alexandria (The New Library of
Alexandria) is now open. The revival of the Ancient library aims
at building a universal modern public library to be a center of
culture, science and academic research. This beautiful building is
located next to the University of Alexandria Faculty of Arts
campus.
A new museum dedicated to the art of a well
known husband and wife team has opened in Cairo honoring Effat
Nagui (1905-1994) and Saad al-Khadim (1913-1987).
Egypt plans to lift a ban on making Internet
based telephone calls. On April 7th, the Egyptian Ministry of
Communications and Information is planning on lifting this long
time ban.
Egypt has placed a bid to host the 2010 World
Soccer (Football) Cup. Competitors for the event include South
Africa, who narrowly lost the bid for the 2006 cup to Germany.
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