Egypt Update: Rare Tomb May Have Been Destroyed

ScienceInsider ^ | Thursday, February 3, 2011 | Andrew Lawler

[SunkenCiv]

Reports of damage to one of the few ancient Egyptian tombs devoted solely to a woman have tempered the news that most of Egypt's priceless antiquities have escaped damage and that teams of foreign archaeologists are safe... One archaeologist present at the famous cemetery of Saqqara, south of Cairo, said that as many as 200 looters were digging for treasure in the area this past weekend before police resecured the area. The excavator, who requested anonymity, added that the tomb of Maya, the wet nurse of King Tutankhamun, was "completely destroyed." Another Western archaeologist said, "We still don't know the extent of the damage, but things have been bad and out of control." ...Hawass also vehemently denied that there has been heavy looting in Saqqara... Foreign archaeologists in Luxor say the situation in that city far to the south was normal. W. Raymond Johnson, who heads the University of Chicago team there, said that after some weekend rioting all was quiet and that there was no damage to any site. His team resumed work on Sunday.... At Amarna, once the capital of Egypt under the pharaoh Akhenaten and his queen Nefertiti, all is "as peaceful as ever," says Barry Kemp, a University of Cambridge archaeologist who is still at the site. An attempt to loot archaeological magazines on the other side of the Nile River was thwarted by police, he said. "Order has not broken down in the countryside as it has in Cairo," he says. Kemp said all foreign expeditions were ordered on Saturday to halt work and leave. Most of his team has since left, and he intends to travel to Cairo soon "to sit it out until I can come back."

[SunkenCiv]

• Dr Zahi Hawass appointed to new Egyptian cabinet as Minister for Antiquities
• Ancient Treasures Looted, Destroyed in Egypt's Chaos (Zahi Hawass interview)
• Would-Be Looters Rip Heads Off Two Egyptian Museum Mummies
• Were Tut's treasures damaged? (Egyptian Museum Looted)
• Looters Destroy Mummies in Egyptian Museum: Official
• Egyptian army storms museum to protect from looters (but not before the "street" drew a line)
• Breaking: Images of Egyptian Museum Damage
• Looters destroy mummies in Egyptian Museum

[SunkenCiv]

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[ScottinVA]

Dumbassed sand people. No sense of history, other than that which they want to rewrite.

[Diogenesis]

The typical M.O. of al Qaeda enabled by
Ayers, Hamas, Ikhwan, CODEPINK, the DNC, and Obama.

[hal ogen]

We were there a couple years ago. There is a vast area of tombs...some already on “display” and many not even opened. The antiquities are everyone’s to preserve and protect...not just the Egyptians. Sad some are so foolish. I can see how the uncivilized could easily evade the guards and loot. Civilization has such a thin veneer, no?

[SonOfDarkSkies]

It is interesting that Obama's buddies and bundlers are so interested in toppling Egypt. Is it the destruction of Israel that drives them, or has Obama sold them on the idea of a vast Islamic Caliphate with him at the top?

And what advantages would a domestic terrorist like Ayers see in either potential outcome?

[ErnBatavia]

Dumbest program....ever

[Hardraade]

There was a time when Egypt was non-arabic and non-islamic. Erasing history is islamic SOP.

[SonOfDarkSkies]

Considering the poverty in Egypt and the street value of antiquities, it is not at all surprising that looting is rampant. This is a natural offshoot of the breakdown of the rule of law in Egypt.

And of course, Obama is all for it. After all, Egypt before Islam was nothing but idolatry (to a devout muslim like Obama).

Our only hope for these antiquities is that some of the looters realize the true value to history of what they are looting and exert some care as to not destroy every thing they step on.

[ladyvet]

Sad and heartbreaking. I guess the argument to return all of Egypt's artifacts from foreign museums is mute now.

[Cowboy Bob]

Obama’s legacy...

[ladyvet]

Dumbest program....ever

LOL, what whining girls peeing in pyramid's wasn't interesting?

[nuconvert]

What can you expect? Egyptians are poor & uneducated.

[ErnBatavia]

"Zoe! Zoe! Come lay with me! And Shut up! Shut Up!"

[CalvaryJohn]

Sons of Ishmael. Wild asses. No big surprise.

[LibLieSlayer]

Every last one you listed are enemies of Liberty, Freedom and GOD HIMSELF.

LLS

[nuconvert]

The same thing would happen if it were in Watts. The looting has nothing to do with being muslim.

[Dr. Ursus]

2 1/2 million Egyptians in the tourist industry out of work.

[subterfuge]

Can’t change the channel fast enough when that crap comes on.

As far as the “priceless” tombs and such in the Middle East, I couldn’t care less since it will ALL be turned to glass one day soon. Sorry folks.

[politicianslie]

And what advantages would a domestic terrorist like Ayers see in either potential outcome?

Ayers and his psycopathic killer wife are out to destroy America as we know it. Obama was not a product of Alice Palmer turning her seat over to him, she had NOTHING TO DO WITH OBAMA. Ayers had Obama's coming out party at his house as Ayers thought up the whole scam and brought Obama up the whole way.

By the time you finally see Obama really is a plant by the radical left and Islamic states it will be too late. America will be broke OR even worse, Obama and his band of traitors will be in control enslaving YOU and YOUR FAMILY.

Watch 4 minutes into video

OBAMA is a Damned Liar, 4 minutes shows truth that Ayers set him up