Egypt restores 14th-century mosque in Cairo - The Jerusalem Post

https://www.jpost.com/archaeology/article-804237

Egypt unveils renovation of 14th-century Maridani mosque

Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities marked the completion of multi-year renovations to the 14th-century Altunbugha al-Maridani mosque, funded by the EU and the Aga Khan Foundation.

By REUTERS

MAY 29, 2024 18:34

Updated: MAY 29, 2024 18:40

View of the Mosque of Amir al-Maridani, dating from 1340 CE from the era of the Mamluk Sultanate of Cairo, as Egypt's Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities is to inaugurate the second phase of the restoration project on it, in Darb al-Ahmar, in Cairo, Egypt, May 29, 2024.

(photo credit: MOHAMED ABD EL GHANY/REUTERS)

Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities held a ceremony on Tuesday to mark the completion of multi-year renovations to the grand 14th-century mosque of Altunbugha al-Maridani in Historic Cairo.

Al-Maridani, chief of police and married to a daughter of the powerful Mamluk sultan al-Nasir Mohamed, built the mosque in 1338-40 AD on al-Darb al-Ahmar street, a thoroughfare connecting Cairo's Citadel to the walled city's southern gate.

A view of the Mosque of Amir al-Maridani, dating from 1340 CE from the era of the Mamluk Sultanate of Cairo, as Egypt's Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities is to inaugurate the second phase of the restoration project on it, in Darb al-Ahmar, in Cairo, Egypt, May 29, 2024. (credit: MOHAMED ABD EL GHANY/REUTERS)

The mosque's main entrance is decorated with ornate inscriptions and fine marble. Its columns were salvaged from older buildings during construction.

Historic mosque restoration completed

The mosque's exterior and minaret were renovated in the first phase, which began in 2018 and was completed in 2021. The second phase, which lasted 18 months, focused on the interior. The European Union and the Aga Khan Foundation helped fund the project.

The mosque had been heavily renovated between 1895 and 1903.

A view of the interior of the Mosque of Amir al-Maridani, dating from 1340 CE from the era of the Mamluk Sultanate of Cairo, as Egypt's Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities is to inaugurate the second phase of the restoration project on it, in Darb al-Ahmar, in Cairo, Egypt, May 29, 2024. (credit: MOHAMED ABD EL GHANY/REUTERS)

Egyptian, EU, and foundation officials, including the foundation's director and the deputy governor of Cairo, attended Tuesday's event.

It was the first such event since Mohamed Ismail Khaled, the new director of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, was appointed in March.

--

Sent from my Linux system.

Ancient Egyptians tried to treat cancer 4,000 years ago, cut-marked skull indicates | Live Science

https://www.livescience.com/archaeology/ancient-egyptians/ancient-egyptians-tried-to-treat-cancer-4000-years-ago-cut-marked-skull-indicates

Ancient Egyptians tried to treat cancer 4,000 years ago, cut-marked skull indicates

News

By Emily Cooke

published 24 hours ago

Cut marks discovered surrounding cancerous lesions on an ancient Egyptian skull suggest that humans were conducting cancer surgery more than 4,000 years ago.

A new analysis of lesions found on ancient Egyptian skulls suggests that humans were attempting to surgically treat cancer more than 1,000 years earlier than once thought. One of the skulls, which belonged to a man who lived between 2686 and 2345 B.C., is pictured above. (Image credit: Tondini, Isidro, Camarós, 2024)

Ancient Egyptians tried to surgically treat cancer more than 4,000 years ago, researchers have discovered.

In a new study, researchers analyzed a human skull from the University of Cambridge's Duckworth Collection dating to between 2686 and 2345 B.C. The skull contained evidence of a large primary tumor, as well as more than 30 smaller, metastatic lesions. The researchers discovered that these lesions were surrounded by cut marks, possibly made using a sharp object such as a metal instrument. This suggests that ancient Egyptians attempted to conduct surgery to treat the patient, who is believed to have been a man in his early 30s, the researchers said. 

Until now, the oldest-known description of cancer came from around 1600 B.C. Edwin Smith Papyrus from Egypt, which is thought to be a copy of a work from centuries earlier. The text chronicled several breast tumors but underlined that there was "no treatment" for them.

The new findings, which were published Wednesday (May 29) in the journal Frontiers in Medicine, may subsequently shift our conception of when modern medicine began, the authors said. 

Related: Rare tumor with teeth discovered in Egyptian burial from 3,000 years ago

"What we found is the first evidence of a surgical intervention directly related to cancer," study co-author Edgard Camarós Perez, a paleopathologist at the University of Santiago de Compostela in Spain, told Live Science. "This is where modern medicine starts."

The team also analyzed a skull from a woman who was 50 years old when she died and lived between 664 and 343 B.C., whose skull is also housed at the University of Cambridge's Duckworth Collection. Like the man, she had a big lesion on her skull that was suggestive of cancer. However, she had two additional lesions on her skull that were caused by traumatic injuries, such as an attack using a sharp weapon, the team found.

Close-up of the tumors found on the skull of the man in his early 30s. Cut marks can be seen on several of them. (Image credit: Tondini, Isidro, Camarós, 2024)

Both of the traumatic lesions had healed, hinting that medicine in ancient Egypt was advanced enough to treat her trauma — but not her cancer.

The new findings suggest that cancer was a "frontier" in ancient Egyptians' medical knowledge — something they may have tried but failed to treat successfully, Camarós Perez said. However, he acknowledged that without the patients' clinical history, scientists can't paint the full picture of the cancer that they experienced.

Going forward, the team wishes to look even further back in time to learn more about how humans have dealt with cancer over millennia. 

"If we know that more than 4,000 years ago, ancient Egyptians were trying to understand cancer at a surgical level, we are absolutely convinced that this is just the beginning of something that started many, many thousands of years ago," Camarós Perez said.

-------------

Emily Cooke is a health news writer based in London, United Kingdom. She holds a bachelor's degree in biology from Durham University and a master's degree in clinical and therapeutic neuroscience from Oxford University. She has worked in science communication, medical writing and as a local news reporter while undertaking journalism training. In 2018, she was named one of MHP Communications' 30 journalists to watch under 30. (emily.cooke@futurenet.com) 

--   Sent from my Linux system.

Atherosclerosis in ancient mummified humans: the global HORUS study | European Heart Journal | Oxford Academic

https://academic.oup.com/eurheartj/advance-article/doi/10.1093/eurheartj/ehae283/7683253?searchresult=1

Atherosclerosis in ancient mummified humans: the global HORUS study

Author Notes

European Heart Journal
https://doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehae283

Published:

28 May 2024

• Mummies, Atherosclerosis, Computed tomography, Cardiovascular disease, Paleopathology

Introduction

Atherosclerosis is usually thought of as a disease of modern times. However, atherosclerosis has been found in the remains of ancient people, suggesting that the disease has been present in humans in some form for many millennia.¹ In this study, the authors significantly expand the previous experience of computed tomography (CT) scanning to systematically identify atherosclerosis in the mummified remains of people from around the world and explore its presence in seven different cultures.

Methods

Whole body CT scans of mummies from a variety of cultures and housed at numerous museums and collections were obtained as described previously.¹ In brief, scans were performed on a variety of vintages of CT equipment between 1999 and 2022, ranging from 6-slice machines to 192 × 2-slice dual-source scanners more recently. Images were reviewed for atherosclerosis, and the presence of vascular tissue and probable or definite atherosclerosis were determined by consensus. Calcifications in the wall of an identifiable artery were considered definite atherosclerosis, and calcifications along the expected course of an artery were considered probable atherosclerosis. The extent of atherosclerosis was assessed by counting the number of different vascular beds involved (aorta, ileo-femoral, popliteal-tibial, carotid, and coronaries). Age at time of death and sex were estimated using standard criteria.^2,3 Seven different ancient populations were included: Egyptian (n = 161), lowland Peruvian farmer–fishermen (n = 54), highland Andean Bolivian farmer–pastoralists (n = 3), 19th century Unangan/Aleutian Islander hunter–gatherers (n = 4), 16th century Greenlandic Inuit hunter–gatherers (n = 4), ancestral Puebloan (n = 5), and Middle-Ages Gobi Desert pastoralists (n = 4). The study also includes a 19th century African American and a 19th century Indigenous Australian.

Results

Computed tomography scans from 237 adult mummies were analysed. Of these, 91 (38.4%) were females, 139 (58.6%) males, and 7 (3%) undetermined. Mean estimated age at death was 40 years (standard deviation 11.6 years; range 18–65 years). Atherosclerosis was found in all cultures except in the one Indigenous Australian mummy in whom no vascular tissue was identified. Definite or probable atherosclerosis was seen in 89 (37.6%) mummies. The aorta was the most involved vascular bed (n = 51, 21.5%), followed by the ilio-femoral (n = 49, 20.7%), the popliteal-tibial (n = 38, 16%), the carotid (n = 33, 14%), and the coronary arteries (n = 9, 0.4%; Figure 1A–C).

Figure 1

(A) Volume-rendered computed tomography image demonstrating extensive atherosclerosis (arrows) in the aorta of a female mummy from ancient Peru (Rosita). (B) Multiplanar reconstruction: sagittal view computed tomography scan image demonstrates heavy calcific disease in the left carotid bulb (arrow). (C) Thick slab maximum intensity projection: modified coronal computed tomography scan image demonstrates heavy coronary artery calcium, both in a female Egyptian mummy from the late Middle Kingdom—Second Intermediate Period. (D) Number of mummies with none, mild to moderate (one to two vascular bed involvement), and severe (three to five vascular bed involvement) atherosclerotic calcifications for each of 13 epochs. Atherosclerotic calcifications were seen in mummies from every epoch. BCE, Before Common Era; CE, Common Era

Estimated age at death was greater in mummies with atherosclerosis compared to those without (mean age 42.9 ± 11.4 years vs. 38.1 ± 11.4 years, P = .002) and was a predictor of involvement of multiple vascular beds (P < .002). The percentage of mummies with atherosclerosis was similar between male and female mummies [53/139 (38.1%) vs. 35/91 (38.5%), P = .36] and between Egyptian and non-Egyptian mummies [63/161 (39.1%) vs. 26/76 (38.5%), P = .48]. The number of diseased vascular beds per mummy was also similar between Egyptian and non-Egyptian mummies (0.78 ± 1.2 vs. 0.71 ± 1.2, P = .66). For the Egyptian mummies scanned using older (<40-slice) CT equipment, 39 of 86 with vascular tissue (45.3%) had definite or probable atherosclerosis, comparable to Egyptian mummies scanned using contemporary (≥40-slice) scanners (24 of 48, 50%, P = .368). There was a trend towards a higher proportion of definite atherosclerosis with the modern scanners [17/24 (70.8%) vs. 23/39 (59%), P = .25]. Atherosclerotic calcifications were seen in all time periods, suggesting that the presence of atherosclerosis in diverse historical cultures has been enduring (Figure 1D).

Discussion

The major finding of this study is that atherosclerotic calcifications were present and common in the mummified remains of humans across multiple eras and geographies. This series represents the largest collection of CT scans performed on mummies and demonstrates the presence of atherosclerosis in seven different cultures examined. Every culture that was studied demonstrated individuals with atherosclerotic calcifications. Many, especially the non-Egyptians, are believed to have been non-elites. These findings extend our prior observations, adding CT examinations of >100 mummies and 3 additional cultures, altogether spanning thousands of years and miles of geography.

The authors consider the presence of calcifications in the wall of arteries in mummified tissues as pathognomonic for atherosclerosis.⁴ In this series, arterial calcifications in the pattern of Monckeberg's medial arteriosclerosis were observed in the legs of some mummies,⁵ although in all of these cases, there were also detectable atherosclerotic calcifications. While late syphilis could cause non-atherosclerotic calcification localized to the ascending aorta, we did not observed calcification solely in the ascending aorta. We also did not identify any arterial aneurysms, another potential non-atherosclerotic cause of arterial calcifications.

While this is the largest systematic study of atherosclerosis in ancient human remains, others have reported atherosclerosis on pathologic examination in mummies from Egypt, the Aleutian Islands, and Korea, and calcifications seen on CT imaging have matched the areas of atherosclerosis on autopsy.^6–8 Intact calcified arteries have also been found among tissue remnants discovered among the skeletons at several sites, including among ones from ancient Nubia (1300–800 Bc).⁹

While the frequency of atherosclerosis is perhaps surprising, especially considering that the mean estimated age of the mummies is young by current standards, about 40 years, the disease was seen most frequently in only one vascular bed. This is consistent with early disease frequently detected incidentally on CT scans of modern patients.

This study has several limitations. Detection of vascular tissue on CT scanning is dependent upon the degree of preservation, which varied widely across mummies. Most mummies had only a few identifiable vascular beds, confounding attempts at true prevalence estimates. Also, the postmortem process, including mummification, distorts all tissue. For this reason, the authors endeavoured to be very conservative in assessing the presence of atherosclerosis.

Conclusions

This study of the mummified remains of 237 adults suggests that atherosclerosis is ubiquitous in human populations distributed temporally and geographically since ancient times, being seen in 37.6% of our combined sample. Atherosclerotic calcifications were found in similar frequencies in Egyptian and non-Egyptian mummies and in men and women. These findings support the existence of an innate human predisposition to atherosclerosis. Modern cardiovascular risk factors superimposed on an underlying, inherent risk may drive the extent and impact, rather than the basic prevalence risk, of atherosclerosis.

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank the many individuals instrumental in the effort to image the mummies of this study. They include Rafael Doig Bernuy, Sonia Guillén Oneegli, Wilfried Rosendahl, Yrma Soledad Quispe Zapana, John N. Makaryus, Amgad N. Makaryus, Sallam Lotfy Mohamed, John Nasser Labib Gergis, David Mininberg (deceased), Elise Fiore Marochetti, Jhimy Butrón, Luis Castedo, and the generous curators and staff of the museums who shared mummies for CT scanning. The authors also thank the Tsimane Health and Life History Project team of anthropologists, clinicians, and geneticists for their insights and suggestions. Jose Aceituno provided expert graphic support.

Declarations

Disclosure of Interest

All authors declare no disclosure of interest for this contribution.

Data Availability

Currently, 22 of the mummy CT scans are available for review on the IMPACT database website. Information is available through Dr. Andrew Nelson, anelson@uwo.ca. The authors intend to share the majority of the remaining mummy CT scans (as many as allowed by the museums in which they are housed) on an internet platform in the near future.

Funding

Partial funding for the study was provided by the National Endowment for the Humanities (#HJ-50069-12); the Paleocardiology Foundation; Siemens Healthineers; the National Bank of Egypt; Saint Luke's Foundation; the Missouri Chapter of the American College of Cardiology; Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions—Seal of Excellence grant, # MUMBO; and Provincia Autonoma di Bolzano, grant Legge 14.

Ethical Approval

The CT scanning of the mummies of the Egyptian Museum of Antiquities was approved by the Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities. The CT scanning of other mummies was approved by the boards of their respective museums. All mummies, being the remains of deceased humans, were treated with appropriate dignity and respect.

© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved. For commercial re-use, please contact reprints@oup.com for reprints and translation rights for reprints. All other permissions can be obtained through our RightsLink service via the Permissions link on the article page on our site—for further information please contact journals.permissions@oup.com.

This article is published and distributed under the terms of the Oxford University Press, Standard Journals Publication Model (https://academic.oup.com/pages/standard-publication-reuse-rights)

--   Sent from my Linux system.

Gihane Zaki appointed as head of the Grand Egyptian Museum - Museums - Antiquities - Ahram Online

https://english.ahram.org.eg/News/524281.aspx

Gihane Zaki appointed as head of the Grand Egyptian Museum

Ahram Online , Sunday 26 May 2024

Professor of Egyptology and MP Gihane Zaki has been named the Chief Executive Officer of the Grand Egyptian Museum, sources told Ahram Online on Sunday.

professor of Egyptology and MP Gihane Zaki

Dr. Zaki is a member of the House of Representatives and serves on the Foreign Relations Committee.

Alongside her political career, she boasts an impressive academic background as a university professor of Egyptology and ancient civilizations and as a researcher at CNRS-La Sorbonne University. She is one of the 120 scientists who serve as members of the Institut d'Egypte, founded by Napoleon in 1798.

Zaki led the Egyptian Art Academy in Rome during a significant political period, demonstrating an outstanding ability to manage this international cultural platform and excelling in cultural diplomacy.

In 2021, President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi appointed her to the House of Representatives, where she joined the Foreign Relations Committee. With over 30 years in the governmental sector, she has successfully spearheaded international cooperation through art, culture, and diplomacy.

Her extensive responsibilities have included roles such as Director of the International Organizations Department of the Egyptian Ministry of Culture, National Focal Point for the UNESCO Convention for the Protection of Cultural and Natural Heritage, General Director of the Organization of the Salvage of Nubian Monuments, and international expert/member of the scientific board of the UNESCO advisory body ICCROM in Italy.

Zaki has played a significant role in implementing innovative ideas to engage African youth. She is also an advocate for women's pivotal role in African societies. Zaki has been recognized by France, Italy, Sharjah (UAE), and Egypt for her impactful initiatives and innovative vision in cultural cooperation and promoting a feeling of community through human and cultural values.

Search Keywords:

• Gihane Zaki

• Grand Egyptian Museum

Short link:

 

--   Sent from my Linux system.

In Egypt, a piece of Jewish pottery suggests a woman’s role that was stolen from history

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/in-egypt-a-piece-of-jewish-pottery-suggests-a-woman-s-role-that-was-stolen-from-history/ar-BB1mWstz

--
Sent from my Linux system.

Ancient Roman letters found at pet cemetery in Egypt: photos | Miami Herald

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/world/article288714630.html

Ancient Roman letters unearthed from 1,800-year-old pet cemetery in Egypt. See them

By Aspen Pflughoeft

May 24, 2024 1:00 PM

Archaeologists excavating a 1,800-year-old pet cemetery in Berenike uncovered the writings of soldiers and other artifacts, photos show. Photo from M. Osypińska via Institute of Archaeology of the University of Wrocław

Digging into the sand of southern Egypt, archaeologists expected to find glimpses of ancient Roman life. But what they uncovered — from a collection of letters to several burials of pet monkeys — left them stunned.

Marta Osypińska led a team of archaeologists to excavate an untouched section of a unique ancient Roman cemetery in Berenike, Science in Poland said in a May 22 news release. The site was used as an animal burial ground between 1 A.D. and 200 A.D.

During their excavation, archaeologists found over 200 burials of pet monkeys, dogs and cats, the Institute of Archaeology of the University of Wrocław said in a news release. The pets likely belonged to elite ancient Romans who lived in Berenike.

An archaeologist stands at the partially excavated pet cemetery. Photo from M. Osypińska via Institute of Archaeology of the University of Wrocław

---

Monkey burials were particularly numerous and mimicked human burials, archaeologists said. The ancient monkeys were usually buried with collars, harnesses, toys and/or their own pet, typically a kitten but sometimes a piglet. No other types of animals were buried as lavishly.

The team's previous work identified the monkeys as two macaques species from the Indian subcontinent, the institute said. This analysis suggests elite ancient Roman imported monkeys as exotic pets.

Scattered between the animal burials, archaeologists found another unexpected discovery: ancient Roman writings on pottery fragments and papyrus. The writings were pieced together and identified as the letters of Roman soldiers.

An ancient Roman ostracon, or pottery fragment used for writing, found at the cemetery. Photo from K. Braulińska via Science in Poland

The letters include the names of three ancient Roman soldiers: Haosus, Lucinius and Petronius, Osypińska told Science in Poland.

"In the correspondence, Petronius asks Lucinius (stationed in Berenice Troglodytica) about the prices of individual exclusive goods," Osypińska said in the release, according to a translation from Heritage Daily.

"There is also the statement: 'I am giving you the money, I am sending it by dromedarius (a unit of legionnaires moving on dromedaries). Take care of them, provide them with veal and poles for their tents,'" Osypińska said, per Heritage Daily.

An animal burial, possibly of a monkey, found at the ancient Roman cemetery. Photo from M. Osypińska via Institute of Archaeology of the University of Wrocław

The letters likely came from a Roman soldier's office near the 1,800-year-old cemetery, archaeologists said. Over time, the office was destroyed and its contents accidentally spread across the animal cemetery.

Osypińska told Science in Poland that the letters are a phenomenal and extremely rare discovery.

Archaeologists have speculated about the presence of ancient Roman soldiers in Berenike but lacked direct evidence — until now, the department said.

The recent excavation began in December and ended in February, the institute said. Archaeologists hope to continue excavations in the future.

Berenike, also known as Berenice Troglodytica, is along the coast of the Red Sea and a roughly 550-mile drive southeast of Cairo.

Google Translate was used to translate the news releases from Science in Poland and the Institute of Archaeology of the University of Wrocław.

--   Sent from my Linux system.

https://www.heritagedaily.com/2024/05/archaeologists-identify-the-original-sarcophagus-of-ramesses-ii/152015

Image Credit : Sarcophagus fragment - Kevin Cahail

By: Mark Milligan

Date:

May 22, 2024

Archaeology

Archaeologists identify the original sarcophagus of Ramesses II

Archaeologists from Sorbonne University have identified the original sarcophagus of Ramesses II, otherwise known as Ramesses the Great.

Ramesses II was the third pharaoh of the 19th Dynasty during the New Kingdom period.
His reign is often regarded as the most celebrated in Egypt's history, marked by several major military campaigns and numerous monument construction projects.

Based on supporting historical accounts, most Egyptologists suggest that Ramesses II assumed the throne in 1279 BC and reigned until his death at the age of around 90 in 1212 or 1213 BC.

His remains were interred in a tomb complex (designated KV7) in the Valley of the Kings, located opposite the tomb of his sons (KV5), and near the tomb (KV8) of his son and successor, Merenptah.

Tomb of Rameses II – KV7 – Image Credit : Dennis Jarvis – CC BY-SA 2.0

During the reign of Ramesses III during the 20th Dynasty, the tomb of Ramesses II was looted by grave robbers. Ancient texts record that priests moved his remains to the tomb of Queen Ahmose Inhapy, and then to the tomb of the high priest Pinedjem II.

His final resting place was a tomb (designated TT320), located next to Deir el-Bahari, in the Theban Necropolis opposite Luxor. The tomb is a Royal Cache containing the mummified remains of more than 50 kings, queens, and other royal family members of the New Kingdom period.

The mummy of Ramesses II was discovered in TT320 during excavations in 1881. He was found placed in a simple wooden coffin, suggesting that this was meant as a temporary measure until a more permanent resting place could be determined.

A new study, published in the Revue d'Égyptologie, suggests that a fragment of a sarcophagus discovered in 2009 at Abydos was part of the original sarcophagus of Ramesses II.

The sarcophagus fragment was found in a Coptic monastery and has recently been re-examined by Egyptologist Frédéric Payraudeau from Sorbonne University.

According to the study author, the decoration and texts on the sarcophagus fragment indicate that it was first used by Ramesses II (evidenced by the cartouche of Ramesses II), and later reused by a high priest of the 21st Dynasty, Menkheperre (around 1000 BC) who likely had the sarcophagus transported to Abydos after KV7 was looted.

Header Image Credit : Sarcophagus fragment – Kevin Cahail

Sources : cnrs | Le sarcophage de Ramsès II remployé à Abydos – Published in the Revue d'Égyptologie.

--   Sent from my Linux system.

Claimed discovery of extinct Nile branch near Pyramids sparks debate among Egyptologists - Ancient Egypt - Antiquities - Ahram Online

https://english.ahram.org.eg/News/523985.aspx

Claimed discovery of extinct Nile branch near Pyramids sparks debate among Egyptologists

Nevine El-Aref , Tuesday 21 May 2024

A new study claiming to have discovered a major extinct branch of the Nile at the foothills of the Western Desert Plateau, where the majority of the pyramids lie, creating a brouhaha among Egyptologists over the significance of such a discovery.

Giza Pyramids . AFP

The study was published this month in the scientific magazine Communication Earth and Environment.

However, not everyone is impressed.

"The bulk of this article repeats understandings and conclusions that have been expressed before, said renowned Egyptologist and former Minister of Antiquities Zahi Hawass in a statement with American Egyptologist Mark Lehner, director and president of Ancient Egypt Research Associates.

"It is not true that, as the authors of the study stated,…no convincing explanation as to why these pyramids are concentrated in this specific locality has been given so far," the two Egyptologists jointly said.

They explained that any Egyptology student knows that the Old and Middle Kingdoms pyramids belong to cemeteries west of Memphis Egypt's traditional capital, and that the west was the direction of the dead. 

Egyptologists have suggested for more than a century that a western Nile branch or canal along the course of the Libeini channel gave access to the Pyramids.  

Fifty-three years ago, they added, French Egyptologist George Goyon developed the idea of a western Nile branch or canal connecting pyramids and their valley temples, and he identified this branch with the Bahr El-Libeini.  

They asserted that for more than a century, Egyptologists have investigated the hypothesis that harbours existed at the end of pyramid causeways, in front of valley temples, in natural bays, such as the Abusir embayment, and in wadi mouths, such as the Khentkawes basin in the mouth of the central wadi at Giza, or even farther west, like the basin up into the southern wadi at Dahshur.  

For more than a century Egyptologists have discussed the idea that these basins could have received Nile water, at least during the annual flooding when water was as its highest.

"At Giza, for years. we have investigated the subject of a western Nile branch along the course of the Libeini, and how it fed harbours of the Giza Pyramids. We have found and published boundaries and benchmarks on the harbours of Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure."

"Our publications are entirely missing in [the newly published study]," asserted Hawass and Lehner  

According to the statement, researchers of the study ignore the discovery in 2013 of the Wadi El-Jarf Papyri that includes, among other documents, the journal of a man named Merer who led a team making deliveries of limestone by boat from the eastern quarries at Tura to Giza for building Khufu's Pyramid.  

The discoverer, Pierre Tallet, pointed to the Libeini as marking a western Nile branch, and the southern routes that Merer and his men took to Giza.

The last point both Egyptologists related in the statement that in 1995 they worked with National Geographic Magazine to reconstruct a western Nile branch on the course of the Libeini by digitizing 1:5,000 contour maps produced by the Egyptian Ministry of Housing and Reconstruction.  

"We produced a reconstructed colour view of the western Nile branch that is practically the same As the newly published research wrote in their study." 

Hawass and Lehner continued, saying that they also produced a scale model of the deep trough marking a relic western Nile channel along the Libeini.  

"The major finding of the newly published research was already published in National Geographic twenty-nine years ago [in 1995]."

"We find nothing new in the new research," concluded Hawass and Lehner. 

Search Keywords:

Short link:

 

--   Sent from my Linux system.

Ancient Egyptian Art and Archaeology course offered by Stanford Continuing Studies program

https://continuingstudies.stanford.edu/courses/liberal-arts-and-sciences/ancient-egyptian-art-and-archaeology/20234_ARC-14

ARC 14 — Ancient Egyptian Art and Archaeology

Quarter: Summer

Instructor(s): Patrick Hunt

Duration: 6 weeks

Format/Location: On-campus

Date(s): Jun 25—Jul 30

Class Recording Available: No

Class Meeting Day: Tuesdays

 

Class Meeting Time: 7:00—8:50 pm (PT)

Tuition: $405

   

Refund Deadline: Jun 27

 

Unit(s): 1

   

Status: Open

 

See syllabus for details (subject to change)

Ancient Egypt's long and magnificent history of more than three millennia allowed it to develop unique achievements that had a lasting influence on the arts, mythology, literature, and architecture of the ancient world. Its relative isolation—surrounded by deserts and a marshy delta and mostly accessible only by the Nile River—encouraged it to thrive independently and maintain a uniquely stable culture mainly free from invasion during the Early to Late Bronze Ages (2600–1100 BCE). The legacy of Egypt is astonishing: its pyramids, temples, wall paintings, illustrated hieroglyphic papyri, funerary arts, science and engineering practices, stone working, and jewelry—as well as its reputation as the ancient Land of Gold. So much survives from ancient Egypt that its heritage is far better preserved than many other, almost-forgotten cultures. In this course, we will revel in Egypt's remarkable past, examining the history of such places as Hierakonpolis, Memphis, Giza, and Thebes (Waset) and the mysteries of rulers including Khufu, Menkaure, Senusret III, Hatshepsut, Thutmose III, Akhenaten and his Amarna Period, Tutankhamun, and some of the Ramesside dynasties. We will also reflect on the archaeologists who pioneered Egyptology, including Jean-Françoise Champollion, Flinders Petrie, and others. Finally, we will focus on the Rosetta Stone as a key artifact that unlocks Egyptian history and language.

PATRICK HUNT
Former Director, Stanford Alpine Archaeology Project; Research Associate, Archeoethnobotany, Institute of EthnoMedicine

Patrick Hunt is the author of 26 books and is a lecturer for the Archaeological Institute of America. He received a PhD from the Institute of Archaeology, University College London. Hunt is an elected Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and the Explorers Club, and he is an explorer and expeditions expert for National Geographic. His Alps research has been sponsored by the National Geographic Expeditions Council.

Textbooks for this course:

(Required) Ian Shaw, Oxford History of Ancient Egypt (ISBN 0192804588)
(Required) Patrick Hunt, Ten Discoveries That Rewrote History (ISBN 0452288770)

--   Sent from my Linux system.

In memory of Barry Kemp - Museo Egizio

https://www.museoegizio.it/en/explore/news/in-memory-of-barry-kemp/

 
 

Photo credits: Laura Ranieri Roy

In memory of Barry Kemp

info@museitorino.it

011 44 06 903

From Monday to Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

We have just received the very sad news of the passing of Barry Kemp, Professor Emeritus of Egyptology at Cambridge, well known for his long directorship of the excavations at Akhenaten's cult city of the Aten, Tel el-Amarna. A skilled archaeologist and scholar, Barry profoundly redefined and transformed the discipline of Egyptian settlement archaeology while training a whole generation of Egyptologists and archaeologists in the classroom and on excavation. 
 
The loss to Amarna studies is devastating. It can honestly be said that Barry's long, 47-year presence and archaeological activity at the site saved Amarna from destruction.  From 1977 to 2008 Barry directed the survey and archaeological excavations at Amarna for the Egypt Exploration Society, and afterward until the present day served as the Director of the Amarna Project and secretary of the Amarna Trust, allowing him to continue and expand his archaeological investigations and preservation work.  It is well known that Barry's primary interest was in the broader society of Egypt and the settlement patterns of its non-elite populations, and he had few positive things to say about Egypt's ancient ruling classes.  He took a dim view of Akhenaten and his family, stating that he was interested in their material culture but not particularly in their actions, which he would leave to the historians. That said, Barry and his team worked tirelessly to save the most famous 'elite' temple and palace sites at Amarna from the pressures of environmental change, modern population growth, and settlement expansion. His restrained but effective restoration work filling and capping the quarried-away foundation trenches and mud-brick walls of the Small Aten Temple and North Palace complexes not only protects the surviving walls from further erosion and decay, but also clearly delineates the sites and makes them comprehensible to scholar and tourist alike.  More recently, modern cemetery expansion into the vast Great Aten Temple dictated that Barry tackle its re-excavation and limited restoration to address and halt the encroachment, a huge task that is still ongoing.  Not only is this work saving the GAT site, but the re-excavation, study, and recovery of data missed by earlier investigators has resulted in enormous amounts of new information that has added - and will continue to add - many more pieces of the Amarna puzzle for our consideration.  Our collective debt to Barry is beyond words. 

 Barry leaves a rich publication legacy.  He was a prolific writer, whose Ancient Egypt: Anatomy of a Civilisation is now required reading for anyone studying Egyptology.  His book The City of Akhenaten and Nefertiti: Amana and Its People, and his numerous articles and reports, most accessible at the Amarna Project web site, are rich proof of his belief in publishing in a timely manner.  His regularly published Horizon, The Amarna Project Newsletter allowed the scientific community quick access to new information, and is also accessible at the web site.   

https://www.amarnaproject.com/ 

 Barry was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 2011 for services to archaeology, education and international relations in Egypt.  It was an honor richly deserved.  To say that he will be missed is an understatement beyond words.

--   Sent from my Linux system.

Antiquities council refutes rumours massive structure discovered near Khufu Pyramid - Ancient Egypt - Antiquities - Ahram Online

https://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContentP/9/523657/Antiquities/Antiquities-council-refutes-rumours-massive-struct.aspx

Antiquities council refutes rumours massive structure discovered near Khufu Pyramid

Nevine El-Aref , Wednesday 15 May 2024

The Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA) has refuted in a statement recent rumours circulating on social media regarding discovering a significant structure near the Great Pyramid of Khufu in Giza.

The alleged discovery of a large structure adjacent to the Great Pyramid of Khufu lacks validity, said Director-General of the Giza Plateau Ashraf Mohie El-Din.

He added that a Japanese archaeological mission, under the auspices of Waseda University, had conducted a ground-penetrating radar survey during the previous excavation season (2022-2023).

"This survey, approved by the Permanent Committee of Egyptian Antiquities, took place at the western cemetery in the Giza Pyramids area," Mohie El-Din pointed out.

Moreover, he explained that the radar survey, carried out in April 2023, revealed the presence of an underground cavity, whose nature and contents remain unknown — whether empty or containing artefacts.

Thus, the SCA has initiated a joint Egyptian-Japanese archaeological mission to conduct excavations at the site of this void.

The mission is actively engaged in excavation efforts these days but no new archaeological discoveries have been made in the area.

When the mission finishes, it will submit a comprehensive report detailing the excavation results, regardless of outcome, to the secretary-general of the SCA, Mohie El-Din concluded.

Search Keywords:

• Great Pyramid of Khufu

• Giza Plateau

Short link:

 

--   Sent from my Linux system.