Posted on 01/30/2024 12:05:17 PM PST by nickcarraway
A plan to restore one of the Giza pyramids is being slammed by archaeologists, who have compared it to “straightening the Tower of Pisa.”
The project—which is already in motion—aims to reconstruct the outer casing of granite on the Pyramid of Menkaure’s four sides, and is a partnership between the Egyptian government and Japanese archaeologists. The facade is being constructed with the original blocks scattered around the pyramid’s base. According to the project team, the blocks were dislodged during an earthquake within the last thousand years.
Related Articles Google Arts and Culture's Art Selfie 2. Google Brings Back App that Turns Selfies Into Famous Artworks by van Gogh, Rembrandt, and More Florence Museum Director Says Tourism Has Turned the City Into a 'Prostitute,' Drawing Pushback A video posted to Facebook on Friday by Mostafa Waziri, secretary-general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, shows workers laying granite blocks at the base of the pyramid, which is located next to the Great Sphinx and the Khafre and Cheops pyramids.
The Pyramid of Menkaure, the smallest of the three pyramids in the Giza complex, originally had 16 granite blocks comprising its outer casing, but only seven survive today.
“There have been numerous projects throughout history that have been dubbed ‘Project of the Century,’ but, in my opinion, the task of restoring the granite casing of the Menkaure Pyramid is as significant and crucial,” Waziri says in the video. He called the project “a gift from Egypt to the world” that will allow the “first complete viewing” of Menkaure pyramid in the modern era.
The video, however, has drawn ire and mockery from experts.
“Impossible,” Egyptologist Monica Hanna said, as quoted by the AFP. “The only thing missing was to add tiling to the pyramid of Menkaure! When are we going to stop the absurdity in the management of Egyptian heritage?”
She added: “All international principles on renovations prohibit such interventions.”
Other commentors joked that the project team should include wallpaper and a paint job, or asked, “When will the project to straighten the Tower of Pisa be planned?” The Leaning Tower of Pisa has been stabilized to keep it upright.
Still more critics questioned the wisdom of a costly project during Egypt’s recent economic downturn. Per the National, $32 billion in loan repayments are due this year. The debt crisis is compounded by high inflation and a steep drop in trade through the Suez Canal, a key means of income for the Egyptian government.
In an interview with a state-affiliated media outlet, Waziri sought to allay criticism of the project, saying its first stage will be paid for by Japan.
But it was in alien hieroglyphics, for which there is no Rosetta Stone.
The nice casing stones on the Great Pyramid and those missing on Khafre (the second biggest at Giza) were stripped by the muzzies. In recent centuries they dismantled the remains of the unfinished Djedjefre pyramid at Abu Roash.
With water slides and a lazy river.
-PJ
I am watching the Weather Channel seeing reports on the “monster storm” about to hit the West Coast. I also noted recent reports about East Coast areas that have had no snow for around 2 years. I decided to look at reports on the Hunga Tonga volcano blast 2 years ago to see if the huge cloud of water vapor thrown high into the air might be related to these changes in recent weather. I note you have not posted much CATASTROPHISM lately, so you might find some of the many articles posted below this Goggle category link suitable for posting. There were at least 2 on the weather disaster in the 500s.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.