As the bickering goes on, Nevine El-Aref wonders what's happening to Egyptology It seems that the curse of the pharaohs has befallen Egyptian archaeology and antiquities. Since the January revolution the nation's antiquities, archaeological sites, museums and even its archaeologists have been in a remarkably pitiful state. The new Antiquities Ministry is now operating without a chief, although early this week Alaa Shahin, former dean of the Faculty of Archaeology at Cairo University, was nominated as Egypt's minister of state for antiquities affairs. Shahin met Prime Minister Essam Sharaf, but as yet the post remains vacant. Unfortunately, the choice of Shahin has upset some archaeologists who see it as an appointment of a figure from academic circles and not one experienced in archeological field work. Shahin is also viewed as being too close to the policies committee of the National Democratic Party (NDP). Critics have accused him of enabling archaeological missions that included Israelis of excavating at ancient Egyptian archaeological sites. "Shahin is the worst choice to hold Egypt's antiquities portfolio," said Cairo University professor Mokhtar El-Kasabani, who added that as an academic far removed from archaeological field work Shahin was not totally informed about the crucial antiquities file, especially in that in recent days, with the absence of police protection, all monuments were vulnerable to looting and illicit digging by tomb raiders, antiquities looters and traders. These actions, El-Kasabani said, had led to certain artefacts having gone missing from the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square and from several storehouses, which puts the new minister in line of threats of interference by the international bodies, among them UNESCO, as they attempt to protect the country's monuments as part of world human heritage. El-Kasabani says that the reason behind Shahin's retirement as dean of the Faculty of Archaeology in 2007 was that he met a Polish archaeological mission at the Al-Tih Palace in Fayoum, members of which included some Zionists. According to Kasabani, this event occurred without informing the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA) at the time. Hossam Kamil, then president of Cairo University, refused to renew Shahin's appointment as dean of the Faculty of Archaeology. Kamil did not send details of the incident to the prosecutor but carried out an internal investigation with the help of a professor of law at the university. "Where was Shahin when the Egyptian Museum was on fire and subjected to looting on 29 January?" El-Kasabani asks. On the other hand, Mohamed Abdel-Maqsoud, director of antiquities in Alexandria and Lower Egypt, has a contrary opinion. Although he would prefer the new minister to come from inside the SCA, he sees Shahin as the best choice from outside the authority. He is well qualified for the post owing to his long and skilled experience, Abdel-Maqsoud says. He is also the head of the scientific committee of the Grand Egyptian Museum overlooking Giza Plateau. Abdel-Maqsoud voiced an appeal to all people not to listen to rumours about any person who might be nominated to hold Egypt's antiquities portfolio, which he says are an attempt to pollute his reputation. "We, Egyptians, have to help Sharaf's caretaker government, especially those dealing with antiquities. They are really in a critical condition," Abdel-Maqsoud told Al-Ahram Weekly. Abdel-Rahim Rihan, director-general of South Sinai antiquities, supported the latter view, and said that Shahin had a very good career in thorough archaeological work, and that this was demonstrated when he dealt with him as dean. Rihan pleaded with the new minister to do all he could to protect and preserve Egypt's heritage. When interviewed by the Weekly, Shahin said that all the accusations against him were unfounded and described them as a counter-attack on him for standing up to take the post. Shahin said that protecting and restoring Egypt's antiquity sites were his top priority. He said he was determined to protect the country's antiquities from looting and criminal activities. He called on the Higher Council of the Armed Forces and the Interior Ministry to help his ministry protect archaeological and other historic and heritage sites. "I am trying my best to ensure that the police and army restore full protection to the cultural heritage of the country," Shahin said. He has also promised to give full-time employment to more than 12,000 part-time staff at the ministry, which he said would be restructured in terms of finance and administration. "All archaeology graduates along with temporary staff will be given full time jobs at the ministry," Shahin confirmed. He vowed to launch a nationwide media campaign aiming to increase awareness among young Egyptians of their cultural and archaeological heritage. Shahin and the newly chosen ministers of administrative development would be appointed within days. A petition to safeguard Egyptian monuments signed by international and Egyptian archaeologists and Egyptologists has been sent to Sharaf. It highlights the need to protect and preserve Egypt's heritage. In the petition, experts asked Sharaf to put Egypt's antiquities and archaeological sites on top of his list of priorities. Since the 25 January uprising, a good many of Egypt's monuments have been subject to looting and threats by vandals. The signatories also demanded the return of military police to protect archaeological sites and put an end to the illegal excavations, looting of storehouses and tombs, and illegal construction on governmental archaeological land. The desecration of archaeological sites and monuments is not only a huge loss for the people of Egypt on a national, economic, and human level, but is also a loss to all of humanity and to science. Tarek El-Awadi, director of the Egyptian Museum who presented the petition on the behalf of all archaeologists worldwide, said that all archaeologists and Egyptologists nurtured a hope that Sharaf would take immediate steps to save Egypt's heritage. Nonetheless, whoever assumes this post will be faced with massive managerial problems. In the aftermath of the January uprising and following the break-in at the Egyptian Museum in the early days, 54 objects in its priceless collection are still missing. On Tuesday, the result of the inventory carried out at the museum was published, showing an accurate tally of the contents and of missing objects. It is revealed that the 54 ancient Egyptian artefacts that disappeared during the break-in included four gilded statues depicting Pharaoh Tutankhamen, one of which has been retrieved, as well as bronze statues depicting the Nile god Hapi and a collection of objects featuring various ancient Egyptian kings queens, princes and deities. Domestic and instruments are also among the missing items. El-Awadi, said that the list was compiled after photographs of the displays were checked against the museum's official registers. He said that among the things on the list were certain artefacts parts of which were found, but the museum's administration chose to insert them among the missing objects until the rest was found. The list is now being sent to the prosecutor-general for investigation. Zahi Hawass, who resigned last week from his post as minister of state for antiquities affairs following the resignation of Ahmed Shafik's government, has been accused of illicitly possessing antiquities. Hawass himself denies any involvement in antiquities theft, declaring that allegations that he played a mediator in stealing artefacts were totally unfounded, and he considered these accusations a serious insult without proof or documentary evidence. Hawass insisted that since 2002, when he became secretary-general of the SCA he had worked hard to protect and preserve Egypt's antiquities and archaeological sites, as well as developing the skills of archaeologists and restorers and improving their living standards. During his tenure, Hawass continued, 47 state- of-the-art museum storehouses were built at several archaeological sites. They were supplied with alarm systems and televised circuit control. The national project for the documentation of Egypt's antiquities -- never previously recorded -- has been implemented, and some 8,000 professional guards have been appointed. Hawass also pointed out that a number of archaeological experts had been posted at all airports and seaports around Egypt, in order to tighten security measures and prevent any attempts at smuggling. "I also fought in parliament to obtain approval for the new antiquities law, which increases the penalties on antiquities trafficking," he said. Hawass denied that the theft at the archaeological warehouses in Zagazig took place during his tenure, stating that "on the contrary, this happened during the term of the former SCA secretary-general, Abdel Halim Noureddin." The thefts of antiquities, Hawass insisted, were the direct responsibility of the Tourism and Antiquities Police, SCA inspectors and heads of sections. "The role of the secretary- general is regulatory and managerial. He is in charge of following-up on the work of the council, reporting any negligence and punishing those who are in charge," he maintained. Hawass denied signing an agreement with the National Geographic Society, and asserted that it was a protocol whereby Egypt received a CT- scan machine worth $5 million, for Egyptian scientists to conduct research on the mummy of Tutankhamen. In return, he added, the National Geographic Society filmed the scientific work. At the same time, National Geographic paid an additional $60,000 to the treasury of the SCA.
