The Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities
The Official SCA Website
News Bulletin
January 2001 Bulletin
Naglaa Habib El Zahlawi
The famous king lying in Akhmim revealed his presence there when part of his face was discovered in 1991, in the same location where Merit Amun statue 10,5m height, and 25 tones, was found in 1981. Merit Amun is Ramses' daughter who was always looking for publicity and left a large wealth of monuments all over the Egyptian Empire. Excavations in the area had stopped many years because of the existence of some Islamic cemeteries in the area. Dr. Gaballah, SCA Secretary General decided to remove the cemeteries with a coast of 32 million EGL, partly paid by the Sohag Governorate, in order to clear totally the site for further excavations.
The Great Egyptian Museum
Minister of Culture Farouk Hosni, President of SCA assigned Dr.Gaballah A. Gaballah, SCA Secretary General to organize a committee responsible for the selection of the design of the new Great Egyptian Museum. Pre-qualifications are to be presented to the committee in order to select the appropriate companies to submit their offers re the erection of the pre- mentioned Museum. Laying the foundation stone will start immediately after the committee's selection. A special celebration is prospected in the presence of President Moubarak who will closely supervise the operation. The Arab Development fund and the World Bank offered 300 million Dollars as a loan, the project's costs, at a 0.5% rate of interest to the loan payable, in 20 years. Expenses are covered during 12 years from the Museum's revenue.
A Roman Period Port in El Maemoura
The active Ibrahim Darwish and his colleagues of the Underwater Archaeology Department discovered lately a Roman Period Port in El Maemoura, Alexandria. A large stone, half a ton was taken out of the water thus denoting the presence of a wide commercial activity in the area; the stone is part of the port's quay. Ten other quays were found in the area. The European Institute for underwater Archaeology discovered in the Eastern Port another ancient port referred to the Ptolemaic Period, this port was an arsine for ship construction and repair that served during the Greek occupation. A surface 350 square m, paved with tiles, was also discovered in the same area that as, prospected, might reveal an important building soon.
Objects referred to the Roman period were also found and have a great importance to retrace elements of activity taking place there. Another underwater site, actually inspected is the famous Nelson's island where the Italian mission is performing an accurate job. They discovered a well and four cisterns referred to the Roman Period. The remains of some houses were located in the eastern side of the island together with a quay in limestone. All these discoveries are part of a large activity taking place underwater in both the Mediterranean and the Red Sea. There are more to be revealed as work is still on.
El Messalah Area in Aswan Under Development
Farouk Hosni, Minister of Culture is due to open the development project terminated in El Messalah area in Aswan. SCA had undertaken the responsibility of this development that focused over the built of an enclosure wall to determine the superficies of the place. Electronic gates were added to the enclosure, the purpose is to make out of the site an open-air museum including the unfinished obelisk amongst other monuments. A trio of interesting various monuments has been established between this site, the Nubia Museum and the Fatimid vaults facing the place. Visitors will enjoy the accomplished results of the project highlighting different eras of the Egyptian Civilization. The Nubian Salvation Box advanced the necessary funds. The project is a close cooperation between SCA and Aswan Governorate who spare no efforts to pave the accessible roads and remove any randomly built structure contradicting the historical side of this context.
Mummy Scanned to Reconstruct the Face
A three dimensional scanning system is applied for the first time in Egypt over a 1300 years old Mummy. The operation is held in Kasr El Eini Hospital under the supervision of Dr. Burt Kornedick who established a thorough research on the Egyptian mummies in general and this particular one. The scanning will allow scholars to obtain significant information for the facial bone construction. It is prospected to reconstruct the mummy's face as a statue made of mud that will be submitted to an esthetic appliance executed in England. The very sensible operation of the face's reconstruction requires three months in the laboratory specially equipped for this purpose.
Holland and England are both cooperating in the success of this study and its applications, results are to be offered to Egypt as a contribution. According to Dr. Kornedick, this specific mummy is a lady ranging from 35 to 40 years old. Special measures are undertaken by the working team to preserve the mummy to the maximum from any misuse. Facial reconstruction as a technique has been practiced in other countries before. Dr. Ayman El Basmy while controlling the scanning operation affirms that the whole process is actually applied to normal living individuals; the three dimensional scope will facilitate the total facial reconstruction to a high rate of accuracy.
The Pottery Center in El Fustat
This important center erected in El Fustat area will keep a very important tradition alive: the pottery making. El Fustat was the first capital built by Amr Ibn El Ass after the Arab conquest and is actually hosting pottery manufacturers. The built of this center is aiming to display important contemporary and ancient pottery work. Five ovens were specially prepared for this purpose within a vaulted building beautifully erected and incarnating the Arab art in various elements. The project had started in 1996 within the Ministry of Culture's project regarding arts. A large workshop is arranged inside the center to store all pottery products. The center will include an amphitheater and an open-air museum.
A New Campaign to Support Alexandria Library
The Alexandria Library Friends Association located in London launched a new campaign to support the library by raising worldwide funds. Arab and Islamic countries embassies were contacted to allow them to participate in this big project with their donations. Mrs. Suzanne Moubarak, Egypt's First Lady had addressed UNESCO in this respect as The Alexandria Library is considered the universal cultural meeting point thus reinforcing the ancient role of the ancient library that had tied up various civilizations. The library has actually a large stock of books covering a wide range of interests. A book is previewed for publication stating the links between the Graeco-Roman and Islamic civilizations and the main role the Alexandria Library had played in this respect. The book's revenue is to be specified for the preparation of a series of microfiche including 14 thousand manuscripts and documents in Arabic language.
Cultural Week to be Held in Japan
Ministry of Culture in Egypt and Wassida University in Japan are establishing a cultural week in Tokyo and Morioka City. Wassida University Egyptologists will lecture the interested audience, the talks shall focus on the Pharaonic civilization and the most recent excavations conjointly accomplished by both parties. Japanese growing interest in our Ancient Civilization is to be admired. Japan had lately an important exhibition displaying beside Pharaonic objects, monuments of three other main civilizations, Mesopotamian, Chinese and Indus.
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