OFFLINE

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110304/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_egypt_antiquities

This may be of little interest to most, but I have to admit that when the protests began in Egypt...this was the first thing I wondered about.

Dr Zahi Hawass is that guy we often see on all those Egyptology / historical/ archaeological tv shows.  You know...the gray haired egyptian archaeologist that wears the Indiana Jones hat.  In fact, last fall he had a miniseries depicting his work with 3 American students in the Giza Plateau and around Egypt.

In that series, he was shown to have been somewhat close to Hosni Mubarak, even receiving an award and special state dinner from the deposed leader.

I had worried a little about the safety of the antiquities and the museum in Cairo. That where many ancient Mummies (Ramses, etc) and the treasures of King Tut  are kept.  Apparently much damage, looting and theft has occurred.  

I really enjoyed the work that Dr Hawass has done and the tv specials he has given to the world at large.  I doubt I'd have gotten along well with the man though.  Our personalities probably would have clased.  Lol!  And he seemed (at times) to downplay the existence of the Jewish slaves in Egypt.

But he did a lot of great work in the area of Egyptian history and Archaeology and I wonder where he'll go now.  It would be great if he would work with National Geographic.  But he's getting pretty old at this point.  

OFFLINE

This makes an unwelcome change from the beginning of the egyptian revolution, when people formed a human chain outside the Egyptian Museum in Cairo to prevent looters running off with their heritage:

http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2045155,00.html

OFFLINE

I have recently read where Egypt's top Antiquities dude (Dr Zahi Hawass), the guy you see on most of those pyramid history shows, got fired, got arrested, got out on bail but still may have to go to jail.  I'm not sure why but he was appointed to that position by the former Egyptian prez.