Ministry of Antiquities offer a yearly pass to all sites and museums

Starting from September, Ministry of Antiquities will offer a yearly pass to all sites and museums in Egypt (multiple visits) except (Queen Nefertari tomb and Seti I tomb) for 3400 Egyptian pounds to foreigners and Arab nationalities residents in Egypt and for 2900 pounds to foreigners who are working for foreign diplomatic missions and international organisations in Egypt. 

The same pass including Nefertari and Seti I tomb is for 4400 Egyptian pounds to foreigners and Arab nationalities residents in Egypt. The same pass for 3900 pounds to foreigners who are working for foreign diplomatic missions and international organisations in Egypt.

As for Luxor, there will be "Luxor Pass" available from beginning of November for tourists and it will be in two type.

One includes all open to public sites and museums except Seti I and Nefertari tombs for 1000 Egyptian pounds and 500 pounds for students.

The second includes all sites open to public including Seti I and Nefertari tombs for 2400 Egyptian pounds and 1200 pounds for students.

Luxor Pass will be for multiple visits and for duration of 5 days. 

#Egypt #Luxor #Egyptology #Antiquities #ThisIsEgypt #Karnak #Valleyofthekings #KingTut #Pyramids  

Exclusive: Minister of Antiquities speaks to Luxor Times on ScanPyramids project

At the construction site of the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) with the pyramids of Giza in the background, Luxor Times had this short interview with Dr. Mamdouh El Damaty.

In the video below, the minister explains how far the project of Scan Pyramids reached so far and the coming step.

#Egypt #Egyptology #Archaeology #ScanPyramids

Scan Pyramids project show potential new discoveries inside the GreatPyramid

Results of Scan Pyramids mission show great potential of new discoveries inside 

Scan Pyramids project's team joint the ministry of antiquities, Dr. Mamdouh El Damaty, at the Giza plateau to announce the elementary results of the infrared thermography scan of the great pyramid of Khufu.

A video of the minister, Dr. Mamdouh Eldamaty talking at the press conference being held at the moment in the Giza plateau. 

The potential of a corridor in the middle top of the pyramid but more extensive and precise scanning to be conducted.

Dr. Mamdouh El Damaty asked all Egyptologists especially interested in ancient Egyptian architecture to brainstorm to try to find why there would be a different there. 

#Scanpyramids #Egypt #Egyptology #Archaeology #Giza #Greatpyramid

3-tons block has fallen but will be in place tomorrow

A stone block of the exterior of a closed tomb in the Pyramids area  (Owner unknown) has fallen yesterday. The tomb is located at the south of Solar boat of Khufu Museum.

 The limestone block of 3 tons is exposed to erosion and the last conservation performed was in the 60s.

The Minister of Antiquities, Dr. Mohamed Ibrahim said that the block will be lifted and restored to its original location by tomorrow.

A mummy was captured in Giza

The Ministry of Antiquities in cooperation with Tourism and Antiquities Police has captured a mummy dated to Ptolemaic era. The mummy was found during illegal excavations in Giza.

Khufu’s granddaughter's tomb and 5 more to be open for public

 After restoration and development for the site of the cemetery where 6 tombs of high officials and Nobles at the Saqqara Necropolis fated back to the Old Kingdom, Dr. Mohamed Ibrahim (minister State of Antiquities) accompanied by UNESCO delegation headed by Francesco Bandarin (UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Culture) visited the site and announced that the 6 tombs will be open for public soon. The cemetery which contains the tombs of “Seshemnefer” of 6^th dynasty who held the title of “Secretary of all the king’s secret orders” and Queen Meresankh III, the granddaughter of Khufu and the wife of King Khafre (Her tomb was discovered by archeologist George Reisner on April 23, 1927, with subsequent excavations undertaken by his team on behalf of Harvard University and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Her sarcophagus and mummy are now located in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo.)

Ali El Asfar explained that the opening of those tombs for public in the frame work of the development and restoration project in the area by opening tombs and closing others for restoration and he referred to closing 6 other tombs including Senn Nefer Ra.

The Minister said that these tombs were closed for nearly 25 years and will be reopened after the restoration work which included reinforcing the walls, reinstalling some blocks back in the tombs and installing a lighting system. Also Dr. Mohamed Ibrahim added that metal and wooden gates were installed at every tomb to strengthen security in entryways and new stone slabs outside of the tombs mark the path clearly through the necropolis.

Dr. Francesco Bandarin expressed his care to visit Egypt to check the World Heritage sites after January 25^th revolution and provide technical support to the officials to protect the Egyptian heritage and he added that it is understandable the difficulty of the situation and challenges in the light of the general situation in the country after the revolution; emphasizing the spirit of cooperation by the organization and Ms. Yukova Director-General and the Egyptian officials to preserve the heritage of the Egyptian civilization.

 Queen Hetepheres II (left) embraces her deceased daughter Meresankh III (right) (MFA 30.1456)

Minister of Antiquities “The Grand opening for the Grand Egyptian Museum will be after 40 months from now”

Today at the press conference held at the Giza plateau, Minister State of Antiquities announced the beginning of the third and last phase of the Grand Egyptian Museum at Giza plateau and he announced that the project which was initially supposed to be finish in 2013 will be open for visitors after 40 months from today which means July 2015.

A joint venture between Egypt’s Orascom Construction Industries (OCI) and the Belgian BESIX Group was awarded the contract for this phase (phase 3) of the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) in a deal valued at $810 million which was signed on January 11^th, 2012.

The Minister said “It is a great day in the history of Egypt, Ministry of Antiquities and all the archaeologists to start the last phase of GEM as Egypt’s 21^st century project as the biggest cultural project in the world.”  

Dr. Mohamed Ibrahim referred to the funding which was agreed between the Ministry and the Japanese side represented in Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to grant the ministry a loan to be paid back after 10 years with 1% interest.

 Photo courtesy: Heneghan Peng Architects

The press conference was attended by Ambassador of Japan in Egypt, Representative from JICA, Secretary General of the supreme Council of Antiquities Dr. Mostafa Amin and Dr. Hussein Basir (The head of the committee supervising the GEM project).

At the International Press Conference: Khufu’s second solar boat will be ready in 5 years

This morning Dr. Mostafa Amin (Secretary General of the SCA) and on behalf of Dr. Mohamed Ibrahim (Minister State of Antiquities) held an international press conference at the site to announce the beginning of the third stage of the restoration project of Khufu’s second solar boat.

To the west of the first solar boat at Giza, the second solar boat was detected by electromagnetic radar in 1987 and since 2008 it has been the issue of research by the Egyptian Ministry of State for Antiquities in co-operation with a delegation from Waseda University and the Japanese Institute for Restoration Research.

Dr. Mostafa Amin said that the team would collect samples of the boat’s wooden beams for analysis in Egypt and Japan in order to draw up accurate plans for the boat's restoration in situ.

Mr. Oshimora, Head of Waseda University Team said “The project started in 1992 and the problem we are facing is the condition of the wood as it needs special and delicate treatment before the restoration process and we will take sample of about 60 wooden pieces out of 600 pieces was found in the pit.” He added “The wood processing would take 2 years and the restoration and reconstruction of the boat should finish in 5 years and we hope that the political situation in Egypt will be stable so we could complete this project with no delays.”

The first press conference held at the site was in June 2011 by Dr. Zahi Hawass (More Details: Here)

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.