Amateur archaeologists curse pharoahs' guardian

[Dover]

Amateur archaeologists curse pharoahs' guardian

23.11.2004
By ALEX DUVAL SMITH in Paris

Dr Zahi Hawass is one of the most powerful men in history - at least of archaeology - and he is angry.

The 57-year-old is secretary-general of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities but, as any Egyptologist will tell you, this is the least of his titles.

The self-styled guardian of the pharaohs, commonly referred to as the "Big Zee", is the minder of 4000 years of history, 500 kings, scores of legends, thousands of tourists and hundreds of competing archaeologists.
Yet the theatrical, outspoken and Stetson-wearing Egyptian with a string of academic credits to his name and the power to dictate what the world is told about Ancient Egypt is being challenged relentlessly by two plucky French amateurs.

Retired estate agent Jean-Yves Verd'hurt and architect Gilles Dormion have for two years been applying for permission to poke a 15mm lens through a floor of the Great Pyramid at Giza...cont'd

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/storydisplay.cfm?storyID=3612886&thesection=news&thesubsection=world&thesecondsubsection=

[The Backlash Cometh]

1. It's very exciting if they do find something.

Maybe if they agreed to share credit?

[NJ_Lib]

2. Howard Carter is spinning in his grave....

While Hawass is an accomplished man in his field, he is a Political guy... This struggle has been going on for decades, ever since Hawass came on the scene...

The French amatuers can apply until elephants fly... He will not approve their request...

[LibLabUK]

3. Hmm..

I'm sorry, maybe I'm a bit dense, but I don't see how this is related to science in the slightest.

It's interesting and all, but archaeology, unlike paleontology, is not a science.

By the looks of some of your other threads, maybe you could ask for a different group for your archaeological interests.

[Dover]

4. Hmmm.....trying to start trouble again

.

[LibLabUK]

5. Again?

Huh?

Your posts are blatantly offtopic.

<edited for spelling>

[Xithras]

6. Archeology isn't a science?

Whether or not archeology is a science depends on the archaeologist.

Archeology is a science in that it is the gathering of data in order to construct a theoretical explanation about the presence of a phenomena. That the phenomena is man-made is of no real relevance. So long as the scientific method is used when evaluating the data revealed during the examination, it is science.

Now, I'll admit that a lot of modern archeology is very unscientific and that it is frequently conjecture, piled on top of opinion, buried under an unhealthy blanket of politics and personal glory-hunting, but that certainly doesn't negate it as a valid form of science...it simply negates many of its leading personalities as valid scientists.

[Metatron]

7. Why do you think archaeology is not a science?

[Ediacara]

8. Every time I see Hawass on TV I think

"What a great promoter.... OF HIMSELF!"

He's right though, there are a lot of projects, there are a lot of people waiting, and two ameteurs theoretically shouldn't be first in line.

On the other hand, he gives off this vibe of being a total blowhard that will only promote his own personal view of Egypt.

Remember, Hawass was the fellow who hosted the Egyptian artifacts uncovered LIVE special in 1998 or so. He was SOOOO clearly uncovering things that had been replaced for TV that it wasn't funny.... and I lost any respect for the guy soon thereafter.

[Papa]

9. Hawass seems like a nice person, I like him, but he is wrong and stubborn

at times. Hawass in an effort to put a cap on all the
New Age and Edgar Cayce stuff or that aliens built the pyramids etc...swings too far in trying to stop anyone not in academia from doing anything in Egypt. and you're right in that it seems he tries to grab all the glory for himself.

Look at what happened to RUDOLF GANTENBRINK. He discovered that one of the shafts in the pyramid went farther than it was known by building a robot that traveled up the shaft. After that Hawass cut off Gantenbrink and explored the second shaft with someone elses robot..

I can understand him wanting to protect Egypt and it's heritage and not have it hijacked by others, but plenty of amatures have helped contribute to what we know of today about Egypt. He's too heavy handed in excluding them. Just because you don't have a degree does not mean you are a kook and a nut job and that your ideas have no merit. I think it's important to have an open mind about things when all the answers are not yet in.