Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Hawass: The Debate Continues, Asset or Ass?

The fate of Zahi Hawass continues to be debated in the press:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/arts/is-the-face-of-egyptian-culture-the-next-to-topple/article1913442/page1/

Most seriously, there have been allegations that funds have gone missing from Hawass' Ministry. See http://phdiva.blogspot.com/2011/02/problems-with-sca-in-egypt.html
USAID, US Museums, National Geographic and the Discovery Channel have all paid millions in foreign aid and payments for TV specials and travelling shows. Perhaps, there needs to be an investigation as to whether this money went to support Egyptian archaeology or the lifestyles of Mubarak cronies.

For now though, Egypt's military rulers will decide whether Hawass' international celebrity will save him from the fate of other Mubarak government ministers.

Meanwhile, in otherworldly archaeological circles there is the claim that recent events actually support continued repatriation. See
http://lootingmatters.blogspot.com/2011/02/nefertiti-and-parthenon-marbles.html

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