An oft-quoted set of statements that the SIS have seen fit to wheel out again this week:
Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities Zahi Hawwas said 70 per cent of Egypt's artifacts and monuments have not been discovered yet.
He said the diligent work of up to 200 Egyptian and foreign missions operating in Egypt has led to the discovery of only 30 per cent of the antiquities.
He said the exploration works will move to the northern parts of the country.
"We will cease explorations in Upper Egypt," he said.
Hawwas said the exploratory operations in the region cost one billion Egyptian pounds annually.
"The SCA undertakes such cost thanks to the Egyptian exhibitions abroad that showcase the ancient masterpieces," Hawwas said.
Hopefully this spells good news for Nile Delta projects, big and small. Survey and excavation in the Delta region presents enormous challenges to archaeologists but the rewards, in terms of new data and new insights, are potentially very rich.
2 comments:
I don't undestand how Hawwas can say this, if he doesn't know the whole (100%)...
Pier, I was thinking the same thing. Hawass is a world-class blowhard.
I am excited that more time will be spent in Lower Egypt. The Second Intermediate Period is of particular interest, and they are just now starting to bring some of that up (such as Khyan's palace).
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