Theban Mapping Project July 2010 Progress Report

Theban Mapping Project July 2010 Progress Report: "Dear Friends of the TMP,

Susan Weeks The death of Susan Howe Weeks on 12th December 2009 was a devastating loss for me. Susan had been my wife for 43 years, and we shared everything, including work on our many archaeological projects in Nubia, at Hierakonpolis, Giza, Saqqara, Chicago House, AUC, and Luxor--especially Luxor.

Susan often said the happiest days of her life were spent in Luxor, chatting with village women, learning bread-making and jewelry and arts and crafts, shopping in the weekly markets, and of course, working on our various projects. We lived in Luxor off and on since 1971 and worked together on the Theban Mapping Project since 1978. Susan was the TMP’s chief artist, ceramics expert, registrar, headquarters supervisor, and project archivist. She will be greatly missed; I have lost my wife and best friend, and our project has lost one of its most important staff members. But she will still be close by: Susan often said that “when the time comes,” she wanted to be buried in the place she loved most, Luxor. Sadly, the time came much sooner than any of us had expected, and her remains now lie in the Christian Cemetery east of town.

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Message from Kent Weeks re Susan Howe Weeks

Dear Friends,



Susan Weeks, who died last December 12th, will be remembered as an outstanding artist, ceramist and student of Egyptian folk arts and crafts. Her many contributions are among the most respected in these fields.



To honor Susan’s memory and work, her family, friends and colleagues have established the Susan Howe Weeks Memorial Fund at the American University in Cairo. The fund will be used to further work in areas of Susan’s particular interests:



· to establish in AUC’s Rare Books and Special Collections Library an archive of Susan’s extensive collections of notes, journals, manuscripts, and drawings in the fields of ancient Egyptian art, Egyptian and Bedouin folk arts and crafts, ethnoarchaeology, ancient and modern ceramic studies, natural history, and techniques of scientific illustration, and to fund acquisition of works in these fields for the AUC Library;



· to support seminars and short courses in these subjects at AUC, and to support annual lectures by recognized authorities from around the world. All will be freely available to students and scholars of all nationalities.



We believe that this program will serve as a fitting tribute to this very talented lady, and will recognize her long-term commitment to Egypt and to the education of future generations who will continue to study and document its culture.



We hope that you will consider joining us and make a contribution to Susan’s Memorial Fund. All contributions are welcome, and all are US tax deductible. They may be sent to: The Susan Howe Weeks Memorial Fund

American University in Cairo

420 Fifth Avenue (3rd floor)

New York, NY 10018.

Checks should be made payable to “The American University in Cairo,” and marked “For Susan Weeks Memorial.” You may also contribute by Visa or MasterCard: simply send your card number and expiration date and the amount to be charged. (Please ask if you wish to contribute in sterling, euros or Egyptian pounds.)



Thank you for remembering Susan and for helping to ensure that the example she set will continue to inspire and inform.



Sincerely,





/s/ Kent R. Weeks s/ Catharine Roehrig /s/ Salima Ikram

Theban Mapping Project Metropolitan Museum of Art American University in Cairo

Kent Weeks new role - Besotted Grandfather

Bumped into Kent whilst shopping and he looked very well. He could not stop talking about his new grand daughter. Parents and child visited him in Egypt and then they all went to Rome for a bit of R & R. He informed me it was her 4 1/2 month birthday and freely admitted she could wrap him round her little finger.

He is due in America shortly and wondering how to get there with the volcano. Might have to go via Singapore but that takes 23 hours

Cairo Memorial Service for Susan Weeks tomorrow

From: AUC President

It is with great regret that we announce the death of Ms. Susan Weeks, wife of Egyptology Professor Emeritus Kent Weeks.

Susan received a Bachelor of Arts in graphic arts from the University of Washington. She and Kent met while working on the Nubian Salvage Project in Upper Egypt. In addition to being one of the foremost archaeological illustrators of the past half-century, she has built a career as one of the best general field archaeologists in Egypt, having worked on sites all over the country, both with her husband and as a specialist called by other teams. Members of the AUC community who knew and worked with Susan will always remember her sly wit (which her quiet demeanor never succeeded in obscuring), her keen and penetrating intelligence, and most of all the immense care and concern that she devoted to her friends, colleagues and students.

In addition to her husband, she is survived by her two children, Emily and Christopher, and one grandchild.

Those wishing to send condolences may do so by email care of magdiali @ aucegypt.edu, Dr. Weeks's assistant.

There will be a memorial service at AUC's Oriental Hall on Tuesday, December 15th at 4:00 pm.

Susan Weeks Funeral

The funeral was tonight, in Egypt as everyone is buried immediately there are no facilities to do anything else.

It has been an incredible 24 hours, last night I came back from the lecture having had an wonderful 'welcome back' after my surgery. I had a nice dinner and was watching TV. Seconds later everything change. I got a phone call from a good friend who knows I always attend the lectures checking I was OK. Panic in her voice as she told the story of a European women who had drowned in the Nile after attending the lecture. Seconds later ex pats from all over are calling each other checking. Nobody knows who the missing lady is. I phoned out British Consul Ehab Gaddis and he had heard nothing but promised to phone me back with info.

His news was that a lady had been found and she might be American, could I help. So next thing I know police are phoning us and turn up 12:30 am. Very apologetic but can I help, they have photos, tasteful not upsetting but I don’t recognise her. There was a wedding ring inscribed SLH KRW 8/19/66. I explain this is an American format which does not mean she is American but is a definite clue. I told them husband’s name first (how wrong was I). they left and I set about contacting people. Isabella for Italians Anjte for Germans, Karin for Dutch but the American date format bugs me. I ask on forums and someone suggest Chicago House, I am big friends with the librarian so email her. It is 1am by now and I don’t expect an answer at this time.

2:50 I get a text message. I don’t pick up on it until 3:15 am. Marie thinks it is Susan Weeks. I reply immediately OMG. Then almost immediately get a phone call from Brett at Chicago House. He is with Marie. They think it is Susan. Brett volunteers to contact Kent.

Brett phones me back, Kent had not missed Susan, they had guests that night including Marie and Brett and had gone to bed separately. Brett asks gently is Susan there, Kent replies YES. Brett asks him to check. She is not on board the dahabiyya. It is confirmation we did not need. I often get requests from families for a boat and constantly say safety standards are not the same. We do not know what happened but it would be easy to slip and fall. There is a constant flurry of phones calls trying to identify police to talk to, Brett to get to Kent. It is a nightmare

Around 5 am we are sure, it is Susan, Brett is with Kent, the rest of us are praying. The call to prayer comes out and I spend an hour to praying for her and more for the living kent, the first grand child, the Luxor community. The phone continues

At 6:30 Ibrahim phones me, then call after call shock is the main emotion. Everyone is offering support, helping, wanting to help, the phone never stops, American Warden wanting info for the Embassy, shocked residents and missions. I phone as well, Melinda Hartwig answers with her chirpy reply. I bring her down to earth, I have bad news, she is gutted, Susan is truly loved and respected in the Egyptology community and as a person.

Eventually funeral plans are discussed, HamduAllah she is going to buried in Luxor, we have to wait until the authorities release the body and then with no undertakers or chapels of rest we have to bury her immediately. Mansour Boraik and Ibrahim Soliman senior SCA members spend the entire day helping with authorities, Speaking both English and Arabic and having credibility they are invaluable. The funeral is confirmed, more phone calls ... 5pm. A service that has respect and personality and with a few hours notice. Then we go to Tiba to the foreigners cemetery, a few get lost on the way as it miles away. Flowers on the grave, we honoured her. Then back to Chicago House, to see a tiny man replace the giant Kent Weeks. He starts to remember the good times and the happy life they have together.

Then I am back home, more calls from aboard ... 24 hours of pain, wonder, shock ……………………………… but let us all celebrate Susan Weeks life and remember her words

"Every morning as we walk into the Valley towards the tomb, I count my blessings. It is a privilege to be able to work here and to share it with my husband. Every day is magic still."

RIP Susan Weeks

Susan tragically drowned in the Nile last night, my deepest condolences to Kent Weeks, the Weeks family and the Luxor Egyptology community