“I don’t get to introduce rock stars,” said Art Gallery of Ontario CEO Matthew Teitelbaum.
Well tonight he did.
Forget the critical New Yorker article, the mixed reviews of the new Tut exhibition at the Art Gallery of Ontario, or the fact that local Toronto media largely stayed away from this lecture.
The world’s most well-known Egyptologist completely filled Convocation Hall, with people who had all paid a small admission fee (no more than $18) to hear him speak.
There was a line snaking up Kings College Circle (the street outside the hall) an hour before it even started.
Now, before I get into what Dr. Hawass said, I should say this – I’ve been cursed.
Submitted by Roger Kean on Tue, 01/19/2010 - 20:27
Review Rating:
8
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This is a wonderful conceit of a book – as the title suggests, a tourist’s guide to the Egypt of Ramses II. Charlotte Booth's text slides carefully between the kind of advice that a traveller of the period would have found useful and the kind of information which enlightens the modern tourist about the physical marvels of ancient Egypt while explaining every aspect of the ancient culture – at least up until 1200 BC.
A good holiday package tour guide should give the traveller a useful overview of essentials, such as where to stay, where to enjoy the local cuisine (and what to expect on your plate), medical health care (in case you get Egyptian tummy from the food), places of interest to visit and what to look for when you get there, and the best times to visit Egypt (avoid the summer floods when most temples are under water). This guide advises on the kind of currency to take with you: "it is recommended you … have plenty of papyrus to bargain with … and perhaps have a couple of goats to hand as well". For the modern tourist, a supply of papyrus is no problem, as anyone who’s ever visited Egypt will well know!
There is exciting news breaking right now in Egypt. An archaeological team led by Dr. Zahi Hawass has discovered several new tombs that belong to the workers who built the pyramids of Khufu and Khafre.
“This is the first time to uncover tombs like the ones that were found during the 1990’s, which belong to the late 4th and 5th Dynasties (2649-2374 BC),” said Dr. Hawass in the press release.
When we think of Giza we tend to think of the Giza Pyramids. However, while the pyramids were under construction, there was an extensive city to the south that supported the workers. It included houses, bakeries, magazines and a hypostyle hall (See the video below, in which Mark Lehner descibes his work researching this area).
One does have to wonder how Zahi Hawass actually finds time to partake in any archaeology. The Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities is one of the world’s leading archaeologists, as well as one of its most famous. When he’s not travelling the world promoting Egypt’s wonders (Dr. Hawass will be in London on the 8th of December) or grabbing headlines demanding them back, he must surely find himself tied to his desk, busily tinkering away at his keyboard. How else would Hawass manage to become one of archaeology’s most prolific authors?
Submitted by Sean Williams on Wed, 10/14/2009 - 12:10
The event Heritage Key attended on Saturday may not have been one of the most glamorous occasions in the archaeological circuit, but it was certainly one of the most important. Hob-nobbing over wine, beer and crisps, some of Britain's best known Egyptologists gathered in the swanky surroundings of London's Birlington House, to mark the Egypt Exploration Society's plans to protect and digitise the Lucy Gura archives. And they need your help!
"My invitation to Dr Hawass to lead a simple survey with non-destructive techniques is still on the table. That survey could be his last and most remarkable discovery while at the head of the SCA." -- Jean-Pierre Houdin
Submitted by Sean Williams on Fri, 09/04/2009 - 17:24
Are you a huge fan of the pyramids? Read all the books, got the t-shirt, watched The Mummy too many times to know (it had better be the original)? Contemplate running away from home because you never got any Egypt-based toys for Christmas? Well worry no more, for long-running kids' stalwarts Playmobil have come up with their latest incarnation: the sparkling new Egypt range.
Ever wondered what was between the Great Sphinx's legs? What about the catacombs of Khufu's Pyramid? Playmobil have got all these bases well and truly covered with the toys, though Dr Hawass might have something to say about the handy mezzanine level peering over the pyramid's edge (could make a tidy little flat, actually).
Take a look at these tasty pics and tell me you don't already feel like you're in the Egyptian desert:
We know lots about the Great Pyramid of Giza – it’s age (about 4,569 years), who it was built for (the Fourth Dynasty Egyptian King Khufu), who designed it (Khufu’s brother, the architect Hemienu) and even who rolled up their sleeves and did the work (tens of thousands of skilled labourers from across the kingdom, as opposed to slaves as was once believed). But ask a room full of experts how it was built, and you can expect a whole lot of head-scratching and beard-stroking, followed by heated argument and possibly some light fisticuffs.
Highlighted Quote:
“A green light from Cairo and the Great Pyramid mystery is over,” -- Jean Pierre Houdin
Question – who can completely fill up a cavernous 1,500 seat domed hall on a Saturday night in Toronto?
There is exciting news breaking right now in Egypt. An archaeological team led by 
One does have to wonder how 
The question of how the 
We know lots about the 
