Seventy years of Polish archaeology

Egyptian Gazette (the story on this URL has now expired)

It was not just the unveiling of the bust of Professor Kazimierz Michalowski, the founder of the Polish Centre for Archaeology in Cairo and the pioneer of Egyptology in Poland, on the grounds of the Egyptian Museum in the heart of Cairo that marked the celebration of 70 years of Polish archaeological exploration Sunday night, but also the opening of an exhibition in the museum's main hall showcasing 150 artifacts unearthed by Polish archaeologists.

Professor Piotr Bielinski, director of the Polish Centre for Mediterranean Archaeology at Warsaw University, told the Mail on the sidelines of the event: "We are hoping to arrange scholarships for Egyptians in Poland and for Poles in Egypt, since studying of archaeology and Islamic architecture together is very important." Sabri Abdel-Aziz of the Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA) said that Polish archaeologists had restored the third floor of Hatshepsut's Temple in Luxor. "As an important part of humanitarian heritage, Egyptian antiquities arouse this high level of interest not only for Polish archaeologists but also for the Polish people," said Jan Natkanski, the Polish Ambassador in Cairo.More than 300,000 Polish tourists came to Egypt last year, compared to 200,000 in 2006, Natkanski said.

Recently, a Polish archaeological team found bibles and manuscripts in the ruins of a monastery at el-Deir el-Bahari, Luxor. Polish experts are now restoring these manuscripts, which will be on display at the Coptic Museum by next autumn.