Exclusive: Important Announcement on the opening date of GEM

Dr. Khalid El Enany, Minister of Antiquities, made an important announcement on the date of opening of the GEM (Grand Egyptian Museum) and about the fire which took place a few days ago.

Live from the construction site.

#Egypt #Egyptology #Archaeology  #GEM

Ramses II eastern temple is open to public after restoration

Dr. Khaled El-Enany, Minister of antiquities, has just opened officially Ramses II eastern temple in Karnak temples complex. The temple was restored by Egyptian restorers who did mechanical cleaning to some walls as well as putting together fragments of stones and statues including a statue of Osiris. The restoration also included removing the old black cement used for previous restorations and restoring columns and walls using modern reversible techniques.     

The Ramesses II temple is located at the far eastern side of the present day Amun temple complex in Karnak.

Built around the Unique Obelisk, the temple consists of a gateway and pillared hall with a central false door. Two side doors led to the obelisk. In front of the temple is a later addition of a porch, which has now fallen.

 Ramses II Easter temple location marked with the Red dot

 Photos taken by Kofler (1914) The digital file is owned by the Cornell University Library

The eastern temple of karnak, also known as “Temple of Amon-Re, Who hears Prayers” was originally built by Ramses II and decorated between year 40 and year 46 of Ramses II’s reign.

The temple was later modified by Taharqa (690 BC - 664 BC) and Ptolemy VIII (170 BC – 163 BC)

Gallet, Laetitia (2007), “Le temple d'Amon-qui-écoute-les-priéres à Karnak” states:

The masonry has revealed that the temple hides previous structures. This former edifice could be the work of Horemheb.

The columns of the hypostyle hall, which have probably been in place since the Thutmosis Period and were transformed by the Ramesside intervention, suggest also that a Thutmosis structure was still there.

Sdm nht is the principal epithet—but not the only one—which indicates that the king as the god listens to the prayers in this sector of the Karnak Temple complex. Some tenuous indications suggest that divine justice, as corollary of the listening of the prayers, could have been applied in the temple by means of a processional bark before the Ptolemaic Period; during the reign of Ptolemy VII, there are indications that justice was administered in the temple.

#Luxor #Egypt #Karnak #Archaeology #Egyptology #RamsesII

Exclusive footage: Ancient Egyptian tombs open to public for the first time

For the first time the three tombs of TT218 Amennakht, TT219 Nebenmaat and TT220 Khaemteri in Deir El Medina on the west bank of the Nile in Luxor will be open to the public.

The 3 tombs were restored and prepared for opening through cooperation between IFAO and MOA.

Dr. Khalid Al-Anany will officially open the tombs as well as tomb TT110 (Tomb of Djehuty) in Qurna where ARCE (American Research Center in Egypt) has worked for several seasons on the restoration and conservation of the tomb.

The video below gives you  more information about the tombs and the work been done to get them open to public.

The photos show the last couple of days of work in the tombs to get them ready.

#Egypt #Egyptology #Archaeology #Restoration #DeirElMedina #LuxorTimes #Luxor

Ministry of Antiquities received repatriated antiquities

After the diplomatic efforts to repatriate different Egyptian antiquities, the ministry of foreign affairs handed earlier today the following objects after repatriating them back to Egypt.

The received objects are a predynastic stone pot, 7th or 8th century ivory state of a man carrying a deer (ghazal) and a glass lantern dates to Islamic Mamluk period. 

The 3 objects will be sent to the restoration labs at Egyptian museum in Tahrir for needed restorations. 

#Egypt #RepatriatedAntiquities #Cairo #Egyptology #Archaeology #EgyptianMuseum #ThisIsEgypt #LuxorTimes

Treasure of documents found in storeroom at SCA

A large collection of 18th and 19th centuries documents found in a storage room at Supreme Council of Antiquities in Abbasia 

Dr. Mamdouh El-Damaty told Luxor Times that these documents include exchanged correspondents between the Secretary General like Maspero, Pierre Lacau and De Morgan and archaeologists like Flinders Petrie, Howard Carter and G. Legran.

The documents also include field reports from 18th century in 10 different languages as well as documents often families (Gabry and Fayed) who were famous of dealing in antiquities at that time.

The documents also include documents on the activities of Egypt Exploration Society, IFAO excavations in Tanis, Petrie's excavations in Heliopolis in 1911,Maps of sites in Luxor since 1921, maps of eastern desert sites since 1904, photos and detailed descriptions of Dendera temple Zodiac and photos and documents of Kalabsha temple.

Also architectural plans of number of museums include Giza palace museum, Boulaq museum and the Egyptian museum in Tahrir. 

More details shortly ... Stay tuned!

#ThisIsEgypt #Egypt #Cairo #LuxorTimes 

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

Exclusive Video: Minister of Antiquities talks about the latest news on the search behind the walls of King Tut's tomb

On Wednesday evening Luxor celebrated the 93^rd anniversary of the discovery of King Tutankhamon’s tomb which was held at Hatshepsut temple at Deir El Bahari.

 

At the event, the editor of Luxor Times was talking with the Minister of Antiquities, Dr. Mamdouh El Damaty. Most of the conversation was regular friendly chat “off the record”.

Then the minister was asked to answer one question on video for Luxor Times readers without prior notice of what the question would be.

You can watch the short video below.

Bottom line is:  The Infrared Thermo graphic scanning which will take place on Thursday and Friday is a primary step on the way to examine very carefully what could be behind the walls of KV62 (tomb of the Golden King) according to Dr. Nicholas Reeves’ hypothesis.

The confirmed results will be announced when the ministry officials see appropriate and announce the following step.

Videos of Dr. Nicholas Reeves and the Minister of Antiquities talking about the search for “the hidden chambers behind the walls of King Tut’s tomb” can be found on Luxor Times Youtube Channel HERE

Follow Luxor Times for the latest news of Egyptian history.

#Egypt #Luxor #Nefertiti #Egyptology #Archaeology  #Valleyof theKings

    

Royal Chapel discovered in old Heliopolis ... more parts

The German-Egyptian mission working in Matariya, Old Heliopolis, has successfully unearthed more stone blocks of the royal chapel of King Nectanebo I of the 30^th Dynasty.

Last April, the mission discovered the lower part of the royal chapel and this discovery today continues the work on the chapel. (More about the discovery from April, you can visit the link HERE)

At that time Dr. Dietrich Raue, head of the mission, said “It is expected to discover the remains of the chapel during the next excavations seasons. Dr. Raue also pointed out that the temple mud brick wall of 15meters width was discovered and hope to find more elements in the temple area in the future.”

Minister of Antiquities, Dr. Mamdouh El Damaty, said “The mission also successfully uncovered small limestone parts of ancient columns as well as a part of a ceiling shows shapes of stars belong to Nectanebo I temple.”

Dr. Mahmoud Affifi, Head of ancient Egyptian department, said “The team discovered a part of the statue of King Merenptah which was discovered last season beside part of a statue of King Nectanebo I. Also parts of mud brick wall was discovered which represents a part of the old wall used to surround old Heliopolis.”   

Mr. Khalid Abo Elala, director of Matariya antiquities, said “The discovered stone blocks belong to King Nectanebo I and they measure between 75cm to 1.25 meters made of basalt. The blocks show inscriptions with the names of Egyptian nomes at that time as well as bas-relief depicting God Hapi carrying offerings of the Nile. We are looking forward to more discoveries by the mission to reveal more about this era of history.”   

  

#Egypt #Cairo #Archaeology #Egyptology #AncientEgypt #History #Heliopolis  

Photos are courtesy of MOA

Big surprise for Egyptian history fans, Special Christmas in Egypt

Have you been to the Egyptian museum in Tahrir before and had to leave your camera before entering the museum building?

It has been a long time since photography was allowed in the museum which hosts the largest collection of the ancient Egyptian antiquities.

At a press conference held at the Grand Egyptian museum, minister of antiquities Dr. Mamdouh El Damaty announced a big surprise for the Egyptology buffs and visitors to Egypt.

The Minister of Antiquities said "For the Christmas holiday season, photography with no flash will be allowed in the Egyptian museum in Tahrir for all visitors starting from 1st of December 2015 till 7th of January 2016."

Is this the best Christmas present or what?! 

#Egypt #Cairo #EgyptianMuseum #Egyptology #Antiquities #Archaeology  

Breaking New: Latest update on Nefertiti's hidden burial in King Tut's tomb

Minister of Antiquities to determine if Nefertiti is buried in King Tut's tomb in September.

Dr. Mamdouh El Damaty, Minister of Antiquities, said that he contacted Dr Nicholas Reeves regarding Dr. Reeves' hypothesis about the burial of Nefertiti behind secret doors in King Tut's tomb.

Th minister said that during the call he agreed with Reeves to come to Egypt in the second half of September to present all details of his theory in a debate with Egyptologists working for the ministry of antiquities.

Based on the outcome of the debate, then will head to Luxor in an attempt to prove the clues Reeves based his theory on and announce the results in an international press conference.

 

El Damaty emphases that the ministry of antiquities can not make any statements regarding archaeological information or potential discoveries without going through the scientific studies and experiments then make the announcement in order not to cause confusion in the Egyptology field. 

#Egypt #Luxor #Nefertiti #Tut #ReevesNefertiti #Egyptology #Archaeology