Dr. Zahi Hawass - Background Information

Dr. Zahi Hawass
Background & Credentials
Education / Honors / Professional Experience / Field Work / Conservation Projects / Site Management / Consulting / Committee Appointments / Teaching Experience / Papers / Lectures / Media / Home

BORN:

Damietta, Egypt - May 28, 1947

EDUCATION

1987	Ph.D. - EGYPTOLOGY University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA
1983	M.A. - EGYPTOLOGY & SYRO-PALESTINIAN ARCHAEOLOGY University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA
1979	DIPLOMA - EGYPTOLOGY Cairo Universtity, Alexandria, Egypt
1967	B.A. - GREEK & ROMAN ARCHAEOLOGY Alexandria, Egypt

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HONORS

October 2006	Featured as an archaeologist in an exhibition at the Children’s Museum in Indianapolis
May 2006	Named top “100 most influential” people in the world by Time Magazine
August 2005	Lectured with top 30 famous writers, scientists and Nobel prize winners to the Adventures of the Mind Society, comprised of 150 accomplished high school students in the United States, at Stanford University, U.S.A.
Feb. 2005	Honorary Doctorate, American University in Cairo
Nov. 2002	Name inscribed on C.D. for the Mars Exploration Rover 2003 mission
2002	Received an honor from the Egyptological Society in Spain as one of the five pioneers of Egypt, including Naguib Mahfouz, Omar Sharif, Ahmed Suweil, and Om Kolthoum.
2001	-Honored by Mansoura University for his many achievements and contributions to Egyptian society and the archaeological community worldwide; this honor was previously awarded to Om Kolthoum, Omar Sharif, Ahmed Suweil, and Naguib Mahfouz -Selected by National Geographic as one of its Explorers-in-Residence -Awarded the Silver Medal and membership in the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences
2000	-Named Distinguished Scholar of the Year by the Association of Egyptian-American Scholars -Received Golden Plate Award from the American Academy of Achievement: one of thirty honorees of international prominence to receive this award. This honor was previously awarded to people who have won the Noble prize, actors, kings and queens, and prime ministers -Appointed Adjunct Professor at the University of California, Los Angeles -Mellon Fellowship from the University of Pennsylvania
1998	-Received First Class award for Arts and Sciences from President Mubarak; this award is in honor of Dr. Hawass’ restoration of the Sphinx -Received “Pride of Egypt” award from the members of the foreign press in Egypt for achievements in archaeology
1980	Fulbright Scholar

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PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

2002 - present	Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities
1998 - 2002	Undersecretary of the State for the Giza Monuments
1987 - 1997	General Director of the Giza Pyramids & Saqqara & Bahria Oasis
1980	Chief Inspector, Giza Pyramids, Cairo
1974 - 1979	First Inspector of Antiquities, Giza Pyramids, Embaba, and Bahria Oasis
1974 - 1975	Inspector of Antiquities for Boston Museum of Fine Arts at Giza Pyramids
1974	Inspector of Antiquities, Pennsylvania Expedition at Malkata, Luxor
1973 - 1974	Inspector of Antiquities, Abu Simbel
1972 - 1974	Inspector of Antiquities, Embaba, Giza, Cairo
1970	Inspector of Antiquities, the Western Delta at Alexandria
1969	Inspector of Antiquities, The Pennsylvania Yale Expedition at Abydos
1969	Inspector of Antiquities, Edfu-Esna, Egypt
1969	Inspector of Antiquities, Italian Expedition at Sikh Abada, Minia
1969	Inspector of Antiquities of Middle Egypt at Tuna El-Gebel and Mallawi

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FIELD WORK

2006 - PRESENT	Excavation in the Workmen’s Village at Giza -Excavation in the area between the back of the Sphinx and the second pyramid -Supervisor of excavation at the temple Ramses II at Heliopolis -Supervisor of excavation at Taposiris Magna in Alexandria -Supervisor of excavation of the temple of Ramses II at Akhmim
1999 - PRESENT	Excavations at the Valley of the Golden Mummies and the 26th Dynasty site at Bahriya Oasis
1999	Director of the Excavation of the Western Field of Khufu's Pyramid
1999	Director of the Excavation of the Water Shaft under Khafre's Causeway
1999	Director of the Excavation of the Valley of the Mummies, Bahriya Oasis
1996 - PRESENT	Director of Excavation of the Third Pyramid at Giza
1995 - PRESENT	Director of Excavation in front of the Valley Temple of Khafre
1992 - PRESENT	Director of Excavation of the Pyramid Complex of Teti at Saqqara
1991 - PRESENT	Co-director of the Excavation to the southeast of the Sphinx (Workmen's Village)
1991 - PRESENT	Director of Nazlet-el-Batran Excavation
1991 - PRESENT	Director of the Excavation of Beni Youssef
1991 - 1995	Director of Excavation of the Old Kingdom Settlement at Giza (Nazlet- E1-Samman)
1991 - 1995	Director of Excavation east of the Great Pyramid
1990 - PRESENT	Director of Excavation of the Tombs of the Overseers of the Pyramid Builders, southeast of the Sphinx
1990 - 1991	Director of Excavation of the Causeway and the Valley Temple of Khufu
1988 - 1995	Director of Excavations of the Western Field of Khufu's Pyramid
1987 - 1988	Director of Excavation of the site of Kafr-El-Gebel, east of the Sphinx
1980	Director of Excavations in front of the Sphinx Temple and northeast corner of the Sphinx of Giza (Old Kingdom)
1979 - 1980	Director of Excavations at Abou-Rawash (Archaic Cemetery)
1978	Director of Excavation at northeast corner of Sphinx and Nazlet-El-Samman, Giza (Old Kingdom)
1976 - 1977	Archaeological Survey at South Yemen on behalf of the Egyptian Antiquities Organization and UNESCO of the Arab League
1976	Director of Preliminary Excavations, Merimdeh Beni Salama (prehistoric)
1975	Director of Excavations at Kom Abou Bellou, Delta (Pharaonic, Greek, Roman site)
1975	Director of Excavations at Khus Abou Zied, Embaba Province (Late Period)
1970 - 1974	Associate Director of Excavations at Kom Abou Bellou (Pharaonic, Greek, Roman)
1968	Associate Director of Excavations at Ashmuneim, Middle Egypt (Greek, Roman)

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CONSERVATION PROJECTS

2002-present	-Major important conservation projects of Islamic monuments in Old Cairo and also the Jewish and Coptic monuments -Major important conservation work of the temple of Hibis in Kharga Oasis, the Serapeum at Saqqara -Important conservation of the churches and mosques in cities outside of Cairo and Islamic houses in Rashied
Prior to 2002	Conservation and site management of the Giza Plateau and Sphinx
1999	Conservation of three tombs south and east of Khufu's pyramid
1999	Conservation of the Second Pyramid (which was closed in July 1999 and will be reopened shortly)
1999	The conservation plan of the tomb of Khent-Kawes, the tombs south of Khafre's causeway, and the funerary temple of Khafre
1998-1999	The conservation plan for the site of Abu Sir
1998-1999	Conservation of the Great Pyramid of Khufu (which had been closed on April 1, 1998 and reopened in June 1999)
1998-1999	Restoration of the Sphinx Temple
1998	Completion of the restoration of the Sphinx (Celebration in May)
1998	Conservation of the three Queen's Pyramids near the Great Pyramid of Khufu
1998	Restoration of the tombs at the Snedjem-Ib tomb complex and the tombs of Debhen and Iwnu-Min
1997	Director of Conservation of the Third Pyramid (Menkaure)
1996	Director of Conservation of the Second Pyramid (Khafre)
1991 - 1994	Conservation project of the restoration of the interior of the Pyramid of Unas
1990 - 1992	Conservation project of the Alabaster Sphinx statue at Memphis and the Ramses II statue
1990	Conservation projects of Old Kingdom tombs at Saqqara, such as the Two Brothers, and others
1990	Director of Conservation of the Third Pyramid
1990	Director of Conservation of the Tombs of Nobles and Officials (20 tombs were opened.)
1989 - PRESENT	Director of the Sphinx Restoration Project
1989 - 1992	Conservation projects of the tombs of the Late Period at Bahria Oasis
1989	Director of Restoration of the Great Pyramid
1987 - 1993	Director of Conservation of the Step Pyramid at Saqqara
1987 - 1988	Director of Conservation of the Second Pyramid at Giza (Khafre)

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SITE MANAGEMENT

Plan of site management: 1. Discussed in the papers of the 2000 Congress of the International Association of Egyptologists in Cairo, Egypt 2. Application of proposed measures: -stopping excavation at Upper Egyptian sites (Giza to Aswan) -GIS -conservation -excavation in the Delta -conservation of the Unfinished Obelisk in the Aswan Quarries, Kalabsha, Kom Ombo, Dendara, Edfu, Valley of the Kings, Giza, and Saqqara These ideas were presented at the congress in 2000 and were implemented in 2002 when I became the Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities.
1991 - PRESENT	Archaeological site management of Memphis
1987 - PRESENT	The management of the site of the Giza Plateau. It was divided into three phases. Two phases were finished. The third phase, which began in December 1996, is expected to be finished soon and will complete the conservation of the plateau.

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CONSULTING

2000	Member of the Master Jury of the Aga Khan Award for Architecture
1997	Consultant for the IMAX film on Egypt produced by the National Geographic Society
1997	Advisor for The Oxford Encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt
1986	Consultant for "The Pyramids," a televised documentary produced by the Unicorn Project and funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities
1984 - 1985	Consultant to the Carnegie Museum of Natural History to prepare artifacts for an exhibit interpreting the humanistic aspects of ancient Egyptian culture, funded by the NEH
1984	One of five Egyptologists from the U.S. to review a public television special based on David Macauley's book Pyramid, produced by the Unicorn Project and funded by the NEH
1984	Consultant to National Geographic Magazine for a story about recent discoveries in Egypt and for a documentary film
1982	Consultant to Global Concepts and lecturer for Global Speakers, New York
1980	Consultant for the Agriculture Exhibit of the Attiya Foundation, Washington DC
1977 - 1990	Archaeological Consultant to the Arab League

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COMMITTEE APPOINTMENTS

2006-present	Member of Misr Travel
2002-present	-Head of the permanent committee of the Egyptian Monuments and the permanent committee of Islamic and Coptic Monuments -Head of the board of trustees of the Supreme Council of Antiquities
2000	Member of the High Council of Culture
1996 - 2000	Member of the Board of the Cairo Museum
1992 - 1993	Member of the Board of Trustees of the EGYPTIAN ANTIQUITIES ORGANIZATION (E.A.O.)
1991 - PRESENT	Member of the German Archaeological Institute
1990 - PRESENT	Member of the High Council of Culture (History and Archaeology), Ministry of Culture
1990	Member of the Board of Trustees of the Sound and Light Company
1989 - PRESENT	Member of the Fellowship Committee, E.A.O.
1989 - PRESENT	Member of the Foreign Exhibits Committee, E.A.O.
1989 - PRESENT	Member of the Tourist Promotion Committee for Giza Government
1989 - PRESENT	Committee for the Restoration of the Sphinx
1983 - PRESENT	Member of the National Specialist Committee in Egypt for Archaeology and Tourism, a high ranking government committee concerned with the future development of Egypt
1979	Committee for the Protection of the Monuments of the Giza Pyramids
1978 - PRESENT	Member of the Permanent Committee of the E.A.O.

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TEACHING EXPERIENCE

2001	Faculty, American University in Cairo: Egyptian Archaeology, Old and Middle Kingdom
2000	Faculty of Tourism, Helwan University: "Old and Middle Kingdom Archaeology"
1998 - 2000	Visiting Professor in the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Cultures, UCLA: a course on Egyptian Culture
1998 - 1999	Faculty of Arts, History Department, Cairo University: "History of Egypt and the Near East
1997 - PRESENT	A course on Egyptian Archaeology at the Institute of Tourism at El Mokattam
1997	Faculty of Tourism: Helwan University: "Old Kingdom Art and Archaeology" (in English)
1995 - PRESENT	A course on the hieroglyphic language for the Tourism Institute at the Pyramids
1995 - 1997	Departments of History and Near Eastern Languages and Cultures, UCLA: two courses on Egyptian archaeology
1995 - 1997	UCLA Extension: Two courses on the Pyramids
1994	American University in Cairo: Egyptian Archaeology, Old Kingdom
July - Oct 1994	UCLA: Visiting Professor
1990 - PRESENT	Tourism Institutes at Heliopolis (Midan E1 Hegaz), E1 Mokatam, and the Pyramids: "Egyptian Archaeology" (in English)
1988 - 1992	Egyptology and Greek and Roman Departments, Faculty of Arts, Alexandria University: Courses on Egyptian art, architecture, religion, and archaeology
1988	College of General Studies, University of Pennsylvania: Six-week courses on the culture and history of ancient Egypt and the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World

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PAPERS PRESENTED
INTERNATIONAL MEETINGS

2004	“Recent Excavation at Giza,” Ninth International Congress of Egyptologists, Grenoble, France
2000	"The Valley of the Mummies," Eighth International Congress of Egyptologists, American University in Cairo
2000	"Site Management and Conservation," Eighth International Congress of Egyptologists, American University in Cairo
1998	A paper on Engineering and Site Management at Giza at The American Association of Civil Engineering, Boston
1996	A paper on Tourism and Culture, UNESCO, Paris
1996	A paper on Giza Site Management at BIT, Milan, Italy
1992	"THE WORKMEN'S CAMP AT GIZA: Review of Settlement," House and Palace Symposium, Austrian Institute, the Geographic Society, Cairo
1991	"OLD KINGDOM STATUES FOUND AT GIZA," at the Old Kingdom Egyptian Art Symposium at the German Institute in Cairo
1991	"RECENT EXCAVATION AT GIZA," the Sixth International Congress of Egyptology, Turin, Italy
1988	"THE CULT OF KHUFU, KHAFRA AND MENKAURA AT GIZA," Fifth International Congress of Egyptology, Cairo, Egypt
1982	"SITE PROBLEMS IN EGYPT CONCERNING EARTHQUAKES AND THE WATERTABLE," International Congress for the Preservation of Monuments, National Academy of Science, Conference on the Protection of Historic Architecture and Museum Collections, Washington DC
1982	"EXCAVATIONS AT THE GIZA PYRAMIDS," one of seventy invited papers, Third International Congress of Egyptology, Toronto, Canada
1982	"EXCAVATIONS NORTHEAST OF THE SPHINX, "American Research Center in Egypt Annual Meeting, Boston MA
1981	"KOM ABOU BELLOU EXCAVATIONS," Society for the Study of Egyptian Antiquities Annual Meeting, Toronto, Canada
1976	"KOM ABOU BELLOU EXCAVATIONS," First International Congress of Egyptology, Cairo, Egypt

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PUBLIC LECTURES ON
EGYPTIAN HISTORY & ARCHAEOLOGY

Sept 1997	Los Angeles County Museum of Art
Sept 1997	Fowler Museum, UCLA
Sept 1997	American Research Center in Egypt-Southern California: "Recent Excavations at the Pyramid of Teti in Saqqara"
Sept 1997	Dallas Museum of Art: "The Great Pyramid of Khufu"
Sept 1997	Egyptian Academy, Rome
Aug 1997	A.R.E., Virginia Beach: On the controversy surrounding the Pyramids and the Sphinx
June 1997	Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York: "Women in Ancient Egypt"
May 1997	Lectures on recent discoveries Heidelberg University Berlin University Munich University
April 1997	Louvre, Paris
Mar-Apr 1996	A tour to the United States to promote tourism in Egypt UCLA Los Angeles County Museum of Art American Research Center in Egypt-Southern California University Museum of Southern Methodist University, Dallas Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York Field Museum, Chicago University Museum, Philadelphia Press Club, Washington DC
1995	Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
1994-1995	Association for the Friends of Egypt, University of Copenhagen, Denmark: Public lectures on the Pyramids and the Sphinx
1994	Smithsonian Institution, Washington DC
Sept-Oct 1993	Lectures on Pyramids: UCLA Natural History Museum, Los Angeles Orange Coast College, Orange County, CA University of California, Fullerton Harvard Club, New York Walter Gallery, Baltimore University of Pittsburgh History Museum of Science, Houston Hamilton University, NY
May 1993	Metropolitan Museum University Museum, Iowa State University The Press Club in Ottawa, Canada
1992	"Recent Discoveries at Giza," Louvre, Paris
1992	Two lectures on "The Cult of Khufu, Khafra, and Menkaura at Giza and Recent Discoveries," Prague University, Czechoslovakia
1990-1991	Lecture tour on "Recent Discoveries at the Giza Pyramids" at universities and museums across the United States, such as: University Museum, Cleveland Museum of Art Denver Museum of Natural History
1988-1997	Lectures for special tourist groups at the Mena House, Semiramis Hilton, and Marriott hotels in Cairo
1988-1997	Public lectures for Rotary Clubs, Lions Clubs, and other service and social clubs in Cairo, Alexandria, and Port Said about archaeological problems in Egypt and about recent discoveries
1988-1989	Public lectures on the Pyramids at approximately twenty museums and universities in the United States
1987	"THE SECRET OF THE SPHINX AND THE PYRAMID" Presented at: Northwestern University, Chicago IL Museum of Fine Arts, Boston MA Rosicrucian Museum, San Jose CA University of California, Berkeley University of California, Los Angeles
1986	University of South Florida, Lakeland FL Smithsonian Institution, Washington DC Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs NY
1985	Museum of Natural History, Denver CO
1983-1984	Penn State University, State College PA University of Colorado, Ft Collins CO SAIS, Johns Hopkins University, Washington DC Georgetown University, Washington DC American University, Washington DC Orange County College, Middleton NY Tufts University, Boston MA Skidmore Owings (architectural firm)
1981-1986	Public lectures concerning the Pyramids, the Sphinx, and other topics relevant to Egyptian civilization for the Education Department of The University Museum, University of Pennsylvania. Travel to various communities, including: Altoona Pittsburgh Williamsport Bethlehem Allentown and Pennsylvania State Universities: Bloomsburg Kutztown Indiana East Stroudsburg Stroudsburg Norristown
1980	The American Center in Cairo, Egypt
1977	Charterhouse Motor Inn, Washington DC Smithsonian Institution, Washington DC The University Museum, University of Pennsylvania Department of Classical Studies, Duke University, Raleigh NC Department of History, Old Dominion University, Norfolk VA Harvard University, Cambridge MA College of Local Art, Boston University, Boston MA Department of History, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor MI Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester NY History Department, Wright State University, Dayton OH Fine Arts Department, University of Colorado, Boulder CO Rocky Mountain College, Billings MT Stanford Research Institute, Menlo Park CA Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco M. H. DeYoung Memorial Museum, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco Program Committee and Inner Forum, Boise State University Museum of Fine Arts, Montreal, Canada

LECTURER ON TOURS TO EGYPT
Lecturer in History and Archaeology of Egypt to the following organizations:

1997	Los Angeles County Museum of Art tour
1995 - 1997	UCLA Extension tour
1992	Lectures for W. P. O.
1990	UCLA
1988	Members of the Board of Trustees of the Getty Trust
1986	Members of the University Museum and the Denver Museum of Natural History
1985	Museum Directors and Curators from the U.S.A.
1983	Executive Members of the Skidmore Architectural Firm, U.S.A.
1982	Chief Executive Organization, U.S.A.

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MEDIA
Numerous public appearances on worldwide television, radio stations, and newspapers:

1998	*Appearance on Dateline about the opening of the intact mummy of "Iufaa" at Abu Sir*
1997	"Live from the Sphinx," Channel 2, Italy
May 1997	"Legend of the Lost Tomb," a cameo appearance in a family film for Showtime.
1992 - 1993	Articles written about "The Legend of the Nile" in Horus Magazine, EgyptAir.
1992	National Geographic special "Who Built the Pyramids?"
1990-PRESENT	Script for documentary films: "The Riddle of the Pyramids" "The Golden Age of the Pharaohs" "The Legacy of the Pharaohs"
1990	"The Today Show" Evening Magazine films on the statues of Ramses II
1988	"Good Morning, America with Joan Lunden" A documentary film on "The Mystery of the Pyramids" with Omar Sharif.
1987 - 1997	Documentary films on Egypt and the Pyramids for the B.B.C., "Nova," the Learning Channel, the Discovery Channel, ABC, and others.
1987 - 1997	Numerous appearance on CNN speaking on the discoveries and preservation of the Egyptian monuments Numerous Egyptian magazine, newspaper, and television appearances and interviews presenting various articles on Egyptian history and archaeology Numerous appearances on news programs on European, Japanese, and Australian television.
1987 - 1997	Newspaper articles about the Pyramids and other monuments of Egypt for the Associated Press, Reuters, the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, and others.

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