Updates from Dr Hawass on sites and museums

drhawass.com (Zahi Hawass)

Here's an exerpt but see the above page to see reports on museum restorations and more about Qantara East where 800 items haev been stolen (mostly, according to Hawass, pottery).

At Lischt, a famous site containing the Middle Kingdom pyramid of Amenemhat I, looters have broken into tombs many times, and there are illegal excavations taking place at night. I have heard rumors that in one village a statue measuring 1.5m high was found, and in another village inscribed blocks have been found. In Dahshur, antiquities inspectors were able to recover two large blocks with colored scenes from the funerary temple of Amenemhat I. They are also struggling to prevent people from moving onto archaeological land and digging illegally at night. I received a report on Saturday from inspectors saying they had found looters inside of a tomb! In Saqqara, I had previously reported that magazines and tombs had been broken into. Now, eight acres of land near the Mastaba el-Faraun and the pyramid of Merenre I has been overtaken by people. At Abusir a new cemetery has been built over twelve acres in an area containing 1st and 2nd Dynasty tombs. What upsets me the most is what is happening at Giza. The site is being taken over by camel and horse drivers; they are even attacking tombs. I do not know I anyone can stop people from damaging these sites.