Probably just as well. Who'd want to go there under today's conditions?
Very knowledgeable man,,, but a complete prat!
Last I heard, this guy was missing and presumed dead.
His office is filled with pictures of himself. Figures.
Having spent my entire adolescence roaming the Egyptian Galleries at Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts, I was an avid fan of Hawass on the History Channel. But as I matured both spiritually and politically, I began to see cracks in his facade. He started mouthing off about Israel and the “Palestinians” and other things that had nothing to do with Ancient Egypt. Pretty soon I recognized him as an attention hound and an opinionated bloviator, much like Dr. Carol Fontaine (who used every opportunity to debunk the Bible, even though she taught “New Testament” at Seminary), and the UFO Guy with the weird hair.
When Hawass bemoaned the MB takeover of the Egyptian Museum, I was, of course, as distressed about the destruction of antiquities as he was, but couldn’t help feeling a wee touch of Schadenfreude at his predicament.
We stood in line for 7 hours to view the Tutankhamen exhibit in New Orleans. In the seventh hour, the doors closed before we and several hundred were allowed in. It seems there was to be a private showing for the Exxon executives that had funded the event.
We had driven 700 miles and stood in line nearly 7 hours. There was a tremendous up roar from those standing in line. After a while, an Exxon executive came to the door and apologized, indicating Exxon would pay to keep the museum open till all in line saw the exhibits
Those treasures can not be imagined simply by looking at pictures or videos. The craftsmanship is not exceeded by any art in any museum. The work is in many mediums but especially in gold and gold leaf.
I can see how this guy has ticked off the locals, his ego was stratospheric, but he did an awful lot for reviving interest for a new generation of fans and enthusiasts of Ancient Egypt.
I used to watch this guy on the History Channel, he was a complete a..hole!
Hawass is a great man, deserves a lot better.
update:
Grand Egyptian Museum to be managed internationally: Antiquities minister
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/9/0/138869/Heritage/0/Grand-Egyptian-Museum-to-be-managed-internationall.aspx
[snip] Egypt’s antiquities minister said Tuesday that the long-planned Grand Egyptian Museum will have an independent, international directorship in an effort to overcome bureaucracy. [/snip]