BIA

MAI 2015
by her pictures. The statement came during the
Rulâ Kharsa television talk show.
- -
Mardi 5 mai 2015
An Egyptian excavation mission uncovered
two lintels on the eastern gate of the Tharo
military fortress in North Sinai, Egypt’s minister
of antiquities announced on Tuesday.
Answering to the show host’s question
about the security of the plateau, ‘Afîfî said the
surveillance cameras situated in the area were
stolen four years ago. “However, we are going
to find out who helped her enter the area and
take those pictures,” he added.
The Pyramids Media Centre of the Ministry
of Antiquities had issued a statement on
Friday, saying that the Pyramids Plateau is a
very large area, and that the pictures were
shot in a vast empty desert. The statement
added that there are three points of entry to
the area: from the Mena House Hotel, the
Sphinx and the southern hill, which is reserved
for the visitors riding camels or horses. All of
these entry points secured by the Tourism
Police, ministry staff and public security
agencies, whereas the desert area is protected
only by the Tourism Police, equipped with 4x4
vehicles and camels.
The statement said Carmen DE LUZ was
shown riding a camel, which means she must
have entered the area from the southern entry
to the Second Panorama, situated three
kilometers away from the pyramids. It added
that DE LUZ must have stayed in the area until
after 5 PM, and that the Tourism Police should
have made sure no visitors remained in the
Plateau after closing time. (“Antiquities
Department Director: Porn star apologized for
Pyramids photo session”, Egypt Independent,
May 3, 2015. Voir également « Le ministère de
l’Archéologie nie et la pornstar présente ses
excuses », al-Bashâyyir, 3 mai).
Mamdûh al-Damâtî revealed that the lintels
are made up of three limestone blocks and are
engraved with scenes depicting King Ramses II
from the New Kingdom period. Each block is
three metres tall and one meter in width,
indicating that the fortress’ gate was very large.
al-Damâtî explained that from this fortress,
Egypt’s military forces used to flock out to
safeguard the country’s eastern borders on
Horus military road that once connected Egypt
to Palestine.
The mission also unearthed a collection of
mud brick storehouses, which were used during
the reigns of kings Tuthmosis III and Ramses II.
A collection of stamps bearing the name of
king Tuthmosis III were also uncovered. A 26 th
dynasty necropolis was also found, along with
human skeletons.
al-Damâtî added that all the objects found
in this area will be restored so that they can
be displayed in a museum on Egyptian military
history, which is set to be built in two years.
(Nevine El-Aref, “New discoveries at Tharo
military fortress, North Sinai”, Ahram Online,
May 5, 2015. Voir également « Découverte
d’une forteresse militaire pharaonique », al-
Bashâyyir, 3 mai ; Dînâ ‘Abd al-‘Alîm, « Une
mission archéologique exhume un camp
militaire pharaonique dans le Sinaï », al-Yawm
al-Sâbi‘, 3 mai ; “Ancient Egyptian army camp
discovered in North Sinai”, Egypt Independent,
May 3 ; Muhammad ‘Abd al-Mu‘tî, « Découverte
d’un camp militaire au Sinaï durant le Nouvel
BIA LI — Janvier/Juin 2015 108