Swiss archaeologists are joining the scramble to recover invaluable ancient remains in Egypt before they are lost forever beneath modern developments. Cornelius von Pilgrim is leading efforts to unearth evidence of how people lived thousands of years ago near the southern city of Aswan. "Many ancient towns are being covered by modern towns with deep foundations that destroy the ancient remains," von Pilgrim told swissinfo.
The archaeologist from the Swiss Institute for Egyptian Architectural and Archaeological Research in Cairo has been working alongside Egyptian experts for the past six years in Aswan.
"We still do not know much about these old towns. They have been neglected because they are more difficult to dig and not as spectacular as tombs and pyramids," he explained. "We know more about the beliefs of ancient Egyptians than about how they lived."
Aswan is where they made the chance, but significant discovery of a stone ramp used to transport granite blocks to waiting ships.
They also found plenty of evidence of looting, an unwanted phenomenon that has dogged Egyptology for the last 200 years.
"Some of the sites were perforated like Swiss cheese with a maze of tunnels and shafts dug illegally to steal relics," von Pilgrim said. "Once rumours get out that someone has found some beads then everyone starts digging. It is an enormous problem and very dangerous for the illegal diggers."
Von Pilgrim has now set his sights firmly on unearthing new treasures under the soil in collaboration with Egyptian authorities with which the institute enjoys a "close and friendly" cooperation. Little time "But we do not have much time left," he warned. "We also need to gain people's trust because many landowners fear we will stop their construction and expropriate the land if we find remains, which is not the case."
Von Pilgrim represents just one third of the institute's permanent staff in Egypt. But this number is boosted to about 20 with archaeology students on temporary attachment from Switzerland and other parts of the world, plus local helpers who are educated in the ways of Egyptology by the staff.
"I am quite convinced that it is necessary to know about the past in order to move forwards. Everyone has to know about history to understand our modern culture," von Pilgrim said.
"History also plays an important role in modern Egypt's economy as tourism has an eminent value. Archaeological research is not just confined to pure science, but we also try to reconstruct sites for visitors to enjoy."
Since 1969 the institute has been working alongside German colleagues on the Nile island of Elephantine. A garrison of foreign mercenaries had occupied the island, stationed there from around the seventh to the fourth centuries BC to protect Egypt's southern border.
The digs uncovered remains of a Jewish temple and many other antiquities that greatly enhanced understanding about life in the garrison.
"I am convinced that we don't know more than a fraction about the history of Egyptian society. The time is over when we wanted to discover new things all the time. We now need to fill in the gaps in our knowledge about normal life in ancient Egypt," he said.
I saw a documentary film last year about antique robbers, and you can't imagine what a lucrative business it's. We are talking billions of $.
The documentary also showed that Italy has the toughest law against antique robbers in the world with its own special police force. They are using same technique when catching the mafia, very effective.
Maybe Egypt or other countries can learn something from Italy.
Posts: 2198 | Registered: Jun 2006
| IP: Logged |
posted
I agree with Arwa! Egypt and especially the SCA should start its own special police force to end tomb robbery.
Posts: 26307 | From: Atlanta, Georgia, USA | Registered: Feb 2005
| IP: Logged |
See their archives section,do a search for Prof Manu Ampim
The restauration teams were employing self willing Egyptians(Arabs ?) that were very happy to do this kind of work...
However if one read earlier accounts on Egypt it is not that clear cut.
Adolf Erman in his LIFE IN ANCIENT EGYT(1894) stateso n page 32 ..that the AE considered themselves "men" (romet);the other nations were negores,Libyans or Asiatics;but NOT men. They were in fact" barbarians"..
Also that the AE name their country the color of their soil,the "black country" (Qemet) and "thus distinghuishe it from the red country of the barbarians"..
Important- Erdman states that the AE "believed themselves to be superior to foreigners by the colour of their skin.
The Syrians were light brown,the Libyans white,the negroes black,but the Egyptians had received from the gods their beautiful color,a deept dark brown for the men,a light yellow for the women." This from the STELE of KUBAN,line 3
In Champollion's Grammar dated 1836,chap 1,he comments on the different colors of the hieroglyphs.." item #16 " the faces of the women was usually yellow "
#item 17 "hieroglyphs depicting different parts of the human body were always in RED..."
Champollion never saw any esoteric meanings beyond as to why these colors were chosen-to him it was a matter of practicability, rationality,differentiation etc..
Posts: 305 | Registered: May 2006
| IP: Logged |
From the documentary I mentioned before, they showed a small private museum in Copenhagen. You'd be stunned what they have. Jewellery collections from ancient Afghanistan, and many rare antiques which the public never have been shown before. I have visited well-known museums around the world, but this footage can't compare what I saw.
One makes wonder how many private museums are out there.
I think small countries and so called third world countries have no chance protecting their treasure. Maybe public awareness will help. To include this problem in curriculum already in primary school.
UBBFriend: Email this page to someone!
Printer-friendly view of this topic