BIA

MAI 2015
Maria NELSON, head of the Swedish mission,
said that excavation work at Gabal al-Silsila
started in 2012 when the mission discovered
several parts of the cartouches of kings
Amenhotep III and Ramses II, as well as
sandstone fragments painted with scenes of
dark skies with sparkling stars. She said
excavation would continue in order to reveal
more blocks of the temple. (Nevine El-Aref,
“New discovery: Gabal al-Silsila quarries were a
sacred area in ancient Egypt”, Ahram Online,
May 17, 2015. Voir également Découverte à
Aswân d’un temple pharaonique vieux de 3 200
ans », al-Bashâyyir, 17 mai ; Dînâ ‘Abd al-‘Alîm,
« Mise au jour des fondations et des vestiges
d’un temple dans les carrières de Gabal al-
Silsila à Aswân », al-Yawm al-Sâbi‘, 17 mai ;
Nada al-Khûlî, « Le ministère de l’Archéologie
annonce la découverte de vestiges d’un temple
dans la zone des carrières de Gabal al-
Silsila », al-Shurûq, 17 mai ; Muhammad ‘Abd
al-Mu‘tî, « Découverte de vestiges d’un temple
à Gabal al-Silsila », al-Ahrâm, 18 mai ; Nada
Deyaa’, “Swedish team accidently discovers
temple remains at quarry near Aswân”, Daily
News Egypt, May 19).
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At the National Museums of Egyptian
Civilisation (NMEC), the Ministry of Antiquities is
to celebrate World Museum Day through a
seminar on the latest museological techniques
and training.
Ilhâm Salâh, head of the museums sector,
told Ahram Online that during the seminar
opening ceremony, Minster of Antiquities
Mamdûh al-Damâtî is to give awards to
museums that exerted exceptional efforts to
transform themselves into museological
institutes beyond presenting Egypt’s heritage.
These museums are the Egyptian Museum in
Tahrîr Square, the Coptic Museum in Old Cairo,
the Luxor Museum, and the New Valley Museum
in Khârga Oasis.
Salâh announced that an amount of
LE3,000 provided by the International
Committee of Museums - Egypt (ICOM) is to be
awarded to the restoration departments of the
Grand Egyptian Museum and the NMEC, while
similar amount is to be given to the Alexandria
National Museum, Suez Museum, and the
Museum of Modern Arts.
Salâh pointed out that three permanent
exhibitions are to be inaugurated to highlight
the aim of this year’s celebration, entitled “The
Museum is a Sustainable Community.” This title,
Salâh explains, underlines how Egyptians since
the Pharaonic age through to modern times
look forward to sustainable stability based on
reason, science and creation. She pointed out
that all museums would be open for free for
Egyptian tomorrow, to celebrate World
Museums Day
Mahmûd al-Halwagî head of the Egyptian
Museum in Tahrîr said that a documentary
showing restoration works carried on several
objects in the museum would be screened and
a replica of Tutankhamun’s mummy is to be
put on show in the museum garden to
welcome visitors.
Rashâ Kamâl, head of the Children’s
Museum, told Ahram Online that the replica
mummy would be used in a workshop for
children to teach them the ancient Egyptian
mummification process.
CULTNAT (the Center for Documentation of
Cultural and Natural Heritage, an Egyptian
cultural centre affiliated with the Bibliotheca
Alexandrina) offered these museums the
Culturama for their three month-long
exhibitions.
Culturama is a cultural panorama over nine
screens, the first ever patented nine-projector
interactive system. It is an innovative
harmonised mix of cultural and natural heritage
information, using an informative and attractive
multimedia programme and the latest display
technology. (Nevine El-Aref, “World Museums
Day celebration opens Monday in Egypt”,
Ahram Online, May 17, 2015).
- -
Mardi 19 mai 2015
Egypt’s antiquities minister has denied
knowledge of activists officially accusing his
ministry of “destroying” the al-‘Abd Theatre
excavation site in Alexandria.
“I do not know anybody at the Egypt
Heritage Task Force group, and none of them
BIA LI — Janvier/Juin 2015 124