More re 50 years of Czech Egyptology

Al Ahram Weekly (Nevine El-Aref)

Last week Nevine El-Aref joined dozens of Czech and Egyptian archaeologists and officials attending the function held to mark the institute's 50th anniversary in the Egyptian Museum garden, where the strains of classical music played by the Egyptian Philharmonic Orchestra filled the air. Among the guests gathered beside the white marble mausoleum of the French Director of Antiquities Auguste Mariette were the minister of culture, Farouk Hosni, and the Czech president, Vààclav Klaus, who inaugurated a special exhibition displaying 114 artefacts unearthed at the various archaeological sites excavated by Czech missions.

Klaus told the assembled guests he was happy to be able to take time in his busy schedule during his three- day official visit to Egypt to attend the event, which he described as "significant". The Czech president said the two nations shared a long-lasting friendship on all levels, whether political, economic, foreign relations or culture.

Prague Daily Monitor

Uncovering Ancient Egypt is the name of an exhibition that maps the decades of Czech archaeologists' work and that will be inaugurated in Prague on Friday within Year of Czech Archaeology marking the 50th anniversary of the Czech Egyptological Institute.

The exhibition features items from the collections of the Prague-based Naprstek Museum and from the finds of Czech archaeological expeditions.

The work of Czech archaeologists over the past 20 years is only photo documented because Egypt has quit the practice where it shared the finds with the home countries of the exploration teams.