I. Dr. Hawass Promoted
Dr. Zahi Hawass was promoted this week to be Undersecretary of the State for the Giza Monuments! He was the Director General of the Giza monuments (including the pyramids of Giza, Saqqara, Memphis, Dahshur, Abu Sir and Bahria Oasis). The Undersecretary of State is the higher position in the Egyptian government.
II. Date Announced for the Reopening of the Great Pyramid
The Great Pyramid will reopen on January 1, 1999. We just finished the installation of the new ventilation system inside the pyramid. We are now cleaning the passages and the chambers.
Dr. Zahi Hawass
III. Lecture Schedule Summer 1998
Dr. Hawass will be giving lectures in the states in August. The first lecture is at the ARE conference in Virginia Beach, VA. This is from the 6th to the 9th of August. On August 13th, Dr. Hawass will lecture to ARCE in Los Angeles, CA and to another ARCE group in San Francisco, CA on August 19th.
IV. Lecture at National Geographic about the Shaft under the Sphinx Causeway
Dr. Hawass will give a two major lectures in December, one in the morning, the other in the evening at National Geographic. The lecture will be about the water shaft that is located under the causeway of Khafre's pyramid. Dr. Hawass has excavated the water shaft. Diligent research has determined that this was the tunnel which Herodotus described when he visited Giza over a millenium ago. Herodotus said that the tunnel, located near the Great Pyramid, contained a sarcophagus with Cheop's mummy inside.
The water shaft is already the stuff of legends and Internet rumor. The shaft opens in the causeway linking the Sphinx to the second pyramid of Khafre.
Dr. Hawass will describe the scientific analysis of the shaft for the first time at these lectures.
V. Excavation near the Third Pyramid of Menkaure
Last week, Dr. Hawass finished the excavation around the third pyramid. The work consisted of:
I. Clearing the south side of the pyramid - the pavement of the pyramid was found.
II. The south side of the subsidiary pyramids were cleared, future plans include the reopening of the eastern south subsidiary pyramid.
III. The east side was also cleared and the tombs of officials from the reign of Menkaure were found. These tombs had not been examined since their earlier discovery by Reisner from the Museum of Fine Arts.
Dr. Zahi Hawass
Undersecretary of State For the Giza Monuments
Stay Informed! New news is posted as it arrives:
Past Press
Releases:
Opening of tombs and Queen's Pyramids in Giza
(2/98)
World Celebrates Successful Restoration of the Sphinx(5/98)