NEWS
Egyptology Department
March 2001
Secrets
of the Egyptian mummies to reveal
A working team from various specialties is actually
gathered in order to use new technology to carefully inspect Egyptian Mummies.
Tripartite rays is the trend to use to inspect mummies that have the advantage
of not affecting or damaging the mummies thus well preserved as this new
technology is not using a sample to test. The working team consists of Physics
scholars, Queen Island University, Australia, Saint Thomas Hospital in England,
Dentists, Wales University and many others
Mery neit tomb newly found in Sakkarah
To The north side of Hor Moheb tomb, a tomb referred to the 18th Dynasty was unearthed as the Egyptian/Netherlands working team in the area, while digging discovered stelae, and few meters away the tomb. Mery Neit, Head of the Atun Priests in Akhnaten court has still a lot to reveal as this important period of the Egyptian history is worth more information.
Lectures in Mubarak Library, Giza
Iufaa tomb recently discovered intact in Abu Sir Area,
Sakkara by the Czechoslovak working Team in Egypt is the subject of a lecture to
be held in Mubarak Library within a set project to encourage various talks about
Archaeological recent discoveries practiced through excavations. Photos
highlighting what was discovered will be displayed at the same venue.
Czechoslovak Ambassador Dana Houniatova and Ambassador Abdel Raouf El Reidy will
participate in the first Symposium organized in the Library for year 2001.
National Museum, El Arish
Farouk Hosni, Minister of Culture is closely following the measures taken to exhibit monuments recently restituted from Israel. He specified 10 million EGL for the erection of El Arish Museum to host and display monuments related to the area and specially discovered during the digging of El Salam Canal.
Museums equipped with CDs
A co-project between the SCA and El Ahram is over-viewing the production of CDs covering the total display of the various museums in Egypt. The CD recently prepared and ready for commercial use concerns Luxor Temple and is focusing on 100 objects with the detailed related information and three-dimensional photos. The produced CD, available in two languages: Arabic and English, is a sincere reflection of the museum that facilitates the visit of the mentioned temple and provides enough information to interested audience.
Pre Dynastic eras in the Eastern Desert
More than 30 sites, recently discovered in the eastern desert, include inscriptions carved over huge stones referred to six thousand years ago. SCA personnel are actually undertaking the responsibility of studying these inscriptions in order to collect more information related to that period.
Preservation work in three temples
Abu Simbel, Philae and Kalabsha were subject to preservation measures aiming to the best conservation of these monuments within the framework set by SCA responsible. The development of the surrounding area was a target perfectly accomplished as well as the preservation of Kalabsha area including important and various monuments. An International Center for visitors is annexed to Abu Simbel Temple providing detailed information about the temple. 50 boutiques selling appropriate products are replacing the previous unsuitable ones. The front area of the temple has been totally rearranged to suit the growing number of visitors and facilitate their circulation within the temple’s enclosure.
Abu Sir area opened for visitors
SCA restored the Abu Sir monuments and developed the
surrounding area to prepare it for interested visitors, students and scholars.
Expenses rose up to 7 million EGL. As announced by Dr. Gaballah, the history of
the place goes back to 4 thousand years. A close cooperation with Giza
governorate will facilitate the access to the Temples of the Sun, Dahshour area,
Sah Ra funerary Temple and 11 carts referred to the Special Dynasty.
Pharaoh Island in Taba
An integrated project to rescue and develop the island will cost SCA around 5million EGL. The island includes a huge citadel built by Salah El Din El Ayyubi, 13th c AD for military purposes against the crusader invasion. Important architectural objects had been lately discovered including an exchanging mail between Salah El Din and the Army Leaders of the Citadel. A special hall is under preparation to exhibit all these important documents, more than 2000 rare objects. The prospected period for the completion of the project is 30 months approximately.
Virtual Reality in Nefertari tomb
New technology is now serving one of the most important causes that is the conservation and preservation of our precious monuments. Suzanne Mubarak Scientific Research Center applied this new technology. Visitors can now enjoy through virtual reality all inscriptions and scenes decorated inside Nefertari’s tomb, establish a comparison between the tomb before and after restoration and listen to the dialogue established between the various deities and personalities depicted over the tomb’s walls. This new method allows the visitor to walk freely inside the monument; the watched picture gives the impression of reality through a head casque the viewer uses with a glove to give him the feeling of touching. A huge panorama screen reflects what a super computer is projecting.
Illicit Traffic to be fought
Four Ministries combine their efforts to prevent the illicit traffic and the smuggling of our monuments namely the Ministry of Interior, Foreign Affairs, Justice together with the Ministry of Culture. A workshop supervised by Dr. Gaballah A. Gaballah will meet recently to decide and set the measures to be taken in this respect. Ports and Airports are to be equipped with instruments able to detect stolen monuments to be smuggled. T
Training provided to Georgia Archaeologists
An agreement between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and
the Ministry of Education, lately concluded, is focusing on the training to be
provided to Archaeologists of Georgia Republic. During three days in the Faculty
of Archaeology, Cairo University, the Egyptian Professors together with Georgian
archaeologists will greatly benefit out of information in preservation,
conservation, registration and all relevant subjects.