The First Antiquities survey since Napoleon’s campaign

Dr. Mostafa Amin announced the plan for a comprehensive survey of all land and sites owned by the Supreme Council of Antiquities or under the Antiquities protection law. The survey goal is to clarify if these sites host any antiquities in order to take legal procedures to take the sites or land which prove no antiquities value off the Antiquities sites survey.

Dr. Mostafa refereed that the last survey of the land and sites under the antiquities protection law was at the time of the French campaign on Egypt (1798-1801). He added that such a survey will help in the investment of the land where there is no antiquities as well as it helps to identify the land where there is antiquities that could be moved.

Dr. Mostafa Amin pointed out that he assigned Atef Abo El Dahab (Head of the Ancient Egyptian Department) to start immediately the survey and complete this work as soon as possible before presenting the results to the Permanent Committee in order for the SCA to reserve the interests of the owners of those lands, whether they are government or individuals.

This decision could help to put an end to many legal disputes between the SCA and individuals or other governmental agencies over land across Egypt and also give a better prospective to the SCA for the future plans to protect the sites that host antiquities.