Question – who can completely fill up a cavernous 1,500 seat domed hall on a Saturday night in Toronto?
Answer – Dr. Zahi Hawass
“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.
My tape recorder has never failed me. I’ve recorded hundreds of interviews/lectures on it, with never a serious problem. But tonight it failed, I didn’t know until after the lecture, and I’m still not certain why.
In fact it stopped just moments after Dr. Hawass started to speak – very strange.
Hawass once mused about curses now I’m beginning to as well (Watch the video about King Tut’s curse).
So relying on my scribbled notes and my recollection I’ll drop these news notes:
End of the Tunnel
The biggest piece of discovery news is that researchers appear to have come to the end of the tunnel in the tomb of Seti I. This tomb was discovered in the 19th century, but work clearing the tunnel hasn’t taken place until recently (partly because it’s difficult to do without collapsing the entire tomb).
Dr. Hawass showed a picture of the debris filled tunnel, with a sliver of an opening. They’ve found that there is a stone staircase leading down to it. Near the opening they found a hieroglyphic inscription, it’s nothing fancy – it looks like it had been scribbled on the wall. Unfortunately I don’t have a translation.
That’s what the situation was as of Thursday. This means that soon we should know where the tunnel leads. Hawass pointed out that only a small number of artefacts were found in the tomb of Seti I. This has led to speculation that the tunnel leads to the real burial chamber of the king. Could we be on the threshold of a big royal tomb find? We just might.
HD Video: Join Zahi Hawass Inside the Mysterious Tunnel in the Tomb of Seti I
(Transcription of this video.)
The search for the tomb of Cleopatra and Mark Antony
Work continues on the site of Taposiris Magna, which may hold the burial of Cleopatra VII and Mark Antony. No Cleopatra burial yet, but they have recently uncovered a statue of Isis. That’s in addition to 22 coins that have Cleopatra’s image and a bust that also appear to show the fated ruler. (See the video interview with Kathleen Martinez here.)
Finding the tomb of Cleopatra may be a long-shot. Scholars have argued that Emperor Augustus would never have allowed the couple to be buried in such a prominent place. After all Augustus was in the process of ending pharaonic rule and turning Egypt into a Roman province. In any case we can certainly expect to hear of more Ptolemaic discoveries from this site.
HD Video: Search for the Tomb of Cleopatra (Featuring Dr. Kathleen Martinez)
(Transcription of this video.)
Robot work at the Khufu Pyramid
Not really a lot of news here. It’s already been reported that more robotic work will be done in these shafts at some point in the near-future.
The Pyramid of Khufu contains two shafts that used to be considered “air shafts” that played a role in pyramid ventilation. However investigations have shown that there are no openings on the exterior of the pyramid so that couldn’t be what they are for. Robots have gone up previously only to find the shafts blocked by copper handled doors.
Dr. Zahi Hawass is as upbeat as ever that this work will lead to a major discovery. “A chamber is still hidden inside the pyramid,” he said.
Zahi Hawass and George W. Bush
Dr. Hawass and Laura Bush (the wife of former President George W. Bush) have a good relationship. He took her for a tour of the Great Pyramids once. We learned that the former president is a fan of Dr. Hawass’s documentaries and apparently, in his post-presidential life, watches them on Texas television. So Dr. Hawass gave him one of his explorer hats. “That hat does not fit Mr. Bush” he was told.
But don’t worry, Hawass gave him books and videos, rest assured Bush will be learning more about Ancient Egypt in his retirement. Personally I kind of wish he had taken to reading about the Middle East when he was in office.
By the way President Obama (visiting the pyramids in this video) got one of Dr. Hawass’s hats as well. Hawass showed a picture of the president wearing it and – yes – it fits!
