Hawass working on "new tomb" in Western valley

[newcastle]

Apparently the hatted-one is directing an Italian team excavating in the Western Valley :

Famed archaeologist Zahi Hawass and his team say they've found evidence of a tomb that could belong to King Tut's wife.

The archaeologists eventually plan to excavate the new tomb, which is located near the tomb of the pharaoh Ay (1327-1323 B.C.) in Egypt's Valley of the Kings, Hawass told Live Science.

"We are sure there is a tomb there, but we do not know for sure to whom it belongs," Hawass told Live Science in an email. On July 7, National Geographic Italia published an article in Italian suggesting that a team led by Hawass had found a new tomb in the Valley of the Kings, and Hawass confirmed that discovery to Live Science.

"We are sure there is a tomb hidden in that area because I found four foundation deposits," Hawass said, explaining that the foundations are "caches or holes in the ground that were filled with votive objects such as pottery vessels, food remains and other tools as a sign that a tomb construction is being initiated."

"The ancient Egyptians usually did four or five foundation deposits whenever they started a tomb's construction," Hawass said. Additionally, "the radar did detect a substructure that could be the entrance of a tomb."

As for whose remains were buried there, Hawass said the tomb could belong to Ankhesenamun, who was the wife of Tutankhamun (reign 1336-1327 B.C.). Ankhesenamun married Ay after King Tut died, so it's possible that her tomb is located near Ay's, Hawass said.

Hawass said he will direct the future excavations at the site.

Hawass was head of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities between 2002 and 2011, and was Egypt's first minister of state for antiquities after the post was created in January 2011. He resigned from the post in July 2011. Currently, Hawass is Director of the Italian expedition in the Valley of the Kings.

https://www.livescience.com/59840-king- ... found.html

A lot of speculation going on here.

DNA results - of questionable accuracy - have linked the mummy known as KV21a to the foetuses found in Tut's tomb, and hence to Ankhesenamun, so if any tomb found is hers, it is probably not intact.

The idea of Ankhesenamum marrying Ay is also based on the scantiest of evidence....a ring bearing their cartouches and the ambiguous letter written to Suppiluliama, a Hittite king, by an unnamed Egyptian queen.

But Hawass is not one to let historical inconsistencies get in the way of a bit of self-publicity

[A-Four]

I myself am rather curious as to what is happening in the Western Valley, and being that the Internet is not really reliable, I wondered if some one like Newcastle here could give us some details as to where the search is taking place and perhaps to inform us where about in the Western Valley would best produce results and why. .

[newcastle]

I myself am rather curious as to what is happening in the Western Valley, and being that the Internet is not really reliable, I wondered if some one like Newcastle here could give us some details as to where the search is taking place and perhaps to inform us where about in the Western Valley would best produce results and why. .

But, unlike you A-Four, I never pretend to know something I don't

Surely one of your many alleged contacts on the West Bank can enlighten you as to exactly where Hawass is working.

If you have the time, you can entertain us with a waffle about where to search for tombs in the western Valley. But please use a dictionary and check your syntax, otherwise reading your output , and trying to make sense of it, gives one a headache

Update: In an email to Live Science on July 10, Hawass cautioned that until excavations take place, he can't say for sure that a tomb has been discovered, and it is still possible that there is no tomb. "It is all possibilities until we excavate," Hawass said.

[Dusak]

Is this guy an Egyptologist or an Escapologist? Harry Houdini, eat your heart out.

[newcastle]

Churchill memorably described Russia as "... a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma"

The same could be said of current egyptology news .

The last I heard, Hawass was picking up a degree in Peru and lecture-touring. You've got to admire, at his age, the energy. His bank account must be close to bursting.

The Minister of Antiquities is currently in Luxor...but no sign yet of his important announcement regarding a transformative new discovery.

The media everywhere have picked up on the Live Science article re possible tomb in Western Valley....although the Italian team is under Franco Porcelli and not, as far as I can ascertain, Hawass.

Porcelli was also involved in a further (and final?) search for hidden chambers in KV62 last February. Results have not been formally announced but leaks suggest they found nothing. Or did they.....?

Maybe there's something in the offing....or it's a product of the hot, quiet, summer season.

[Hafiz]

Hawass & working - an oxymoron.

The human megaphone just puts out photos and press releases. He's too old and fat to move around much -particularly if there is no money to be made.

As far as DNA is concerned its a technology he has absolutely rejected in the past - usually because it contradicts his unsupported non-scientific generalizations. Besides, and as result of his priorities, Egypt has no DNA testing technology, at least as it applies to this area.

As regards Peru - no - its the central American gangster country with no archaeology scholarship which has been given the 'Cleopatra' concession east of Alex and which has rewarded the human bill-board with an honorary doctorate - The Dominican 'Republic'. A sorry tale.

Still Newcastle could be right. Peru is a gangster state.

[newcastle]

Egypt's "premier" egyptologist certainly gets about.....even outer space.

. In November 2002, his name was inscribed on a CD for the Mars Exploration Rover 2003 mission.

He's accumulated a list of honours from some of the world's "leading" universities :

He has received five honorary doctorate degrees from American University in Cairo, Bansomdejchaopraya Rajabhat University in Thailand, Universidad Católica Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic, University of Veliko Tarnovo in Bulgaria, and New University of Lisbon, Portugal.

http://www.authentescapes.com/celebrate ... awass.html

I am obliged to you Hafiz for the mention of the Dominican Republic. Somehow, that had escaped my attention.

Perhaps his latest accolade escaped your attention :

"Former Egyptian minister of antiquities and renowned Egyptologist Zahi Hawass received on Wednesday an honorary PhD and an award from the University of Layola in Peru for his efforts in the archaeological field and his achievements in Egyptology.

During the ceremony, a documentary on Hawass' major discoveries in Egypt was screened.

Hawass also delivered a lecture on antiquities in Egypt, asserting that Egypt is safe for tourists and called on Peruvians to visit the country's distinguished archaeological sites and museums.

Hawass also met with Peruvian President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, and asked for Peru to support Egypt's candidate for UNESCO director-general Moushira Khatab."

http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent ... romot.aspx

Is there an entry in the Guinness Records for the most honorary doctorates ?

Maybe Luxor can look forward to an influx of friends of Paddington Bear.....although the distance is a bit off-putting. Peru also has pyramids and mummies....clear evidence to the terminally-deluded that Hawass' ancestors were also determined travellers. Or maybe both Egypt and Peru held an attraction for extra-terrestrial visitors

[A-Four]

There has always been speculation of lost tombs in the Western Valley, but I would have thought after a massive 'study' that covered a huge area in the small sub valley slightly to the south of the Tomb of Ay (WV 23)., where nothing was found, then that would have been the end. Any one who knows this area of the Valley will have seen the results of the 'excavation' that was carried out here some five years ago, where the true natural appearance of this ancient place was stripped away, with almost 500 tonnes of rubble dumped at the opposite extreme end of the Valley.

It seems that 'our friend' needs to carry out 'a final season' in this area, being that his initial findings he carried out in Wadi El Ghabi (Oct - Dec 2015) came to nothing. (See my subject post, this section March 2016). If as I believe he is to lead this dig, the expense will certainly be coming from out of his back pocket, and if the excavations are to be similar to the previous exercise paid by the Egyptian government, then his pocket better be deep.

I expect the dig will take place in the full area around the Tomb of Ay, thus closing it to the public over the coming winter, like the previous place, I believe they will find nothing, but that is my personal view. If there is anything in the Western Valley to find, then it will be within the 'horse shoe' cleft near to a tomb known as WV 'A', which is within spitting distance of WV 22 (Amenophis III), though any 'dig' here will certainly require modern earth moving equipment. Such heavy material I believe was deliberately dropped here from above.

Just a quick message to people who are affectionately known as 'the mountain goats', who love the Thebian Hills perhaps more than myself, I understand that new strict rules will come into play this winter especially regarding the 'back door entry' into the Western Valley, which is gained from over the hills. The action is the same as previous,........first time your photograph is taken, the second time,.......you get a home visit,........so do be careful, and certainly do not carry a camera, if your face is known.

Hope to see. All this winter. .

[Hafiz]

Thanks Newcastle.

Loyola (al Ahram can't spell), Peru and Domingo have no archaeology/Egyptology teaching/research capacity. i think thats also true of the other three.

Therefore the people who give him honorary degrees have no knowledge/skills/experience in this area and have no capacity to judge his 'achievements'. Because they have no standing in this area the giving of a degree has little status because an honorary doctorate from them would be a bit like winning a literature award from a specialist taxi company.

Maybe that's how he likes it. People who know little about him forming positive views of him.

Its interesting that his alma mater, the University of Pennsylvania, have not recognized him. Then again they aren't in the same league as the Peru University which specializes in 'hospitality management'.

I'm not as sure as you about the AUC degree - but they have always bent with the wind - and wouldn't necessarily feel contamination with the association. The date of any AUC conferral would be interesting - under Mubarak and following the 'donation' to the Suzanne Mubarak Museum for Children would be my bet. Given where the loot was directed I'm surprised he doesn't already have an honorary degree from Cyprus - maybe from a local university specializing in tribute bands/karaoke/bingo/PTSD studies.

A 3 minute check on the Mars NAASA CD indicates his self promotion at its worst. 1.2 million names were inscribed and it was a public self nomination process that meant nothing in terms of status. Yet another 'achievement' endlessly quoted on all the Egyptology sites by people who don't check their facts.https://mars.nasa.gov/msl/participate/sendyourname/. I'm not referring to you, Newcastle. Pretty much everything in his space, when checked, falls over.

[Winged Isis]

"Because they have no standing in this area the giving of a degree has little status because an honorary doctorate from them would be a bit like winning a literature award from a specialist taxi company."



"Given where the loot was directed I'm surprised he doesn't already have an honorary degree from Cyprus..."

There's an opportunity for someone!