Flats in Luxor - Goubli Swimming Pool

Yes at last I have got photos of the new pool at Goubli. I wanted to wait until we had all the pool furniture. We got really lucky with that and got a lot of stuff from the New Winter Palace hotel which is being demolished. We had it recovered and that took time. But I am really pleased with the material. The pool area covers all the the back of the property with a shower area and toilet block as well as snack bar and poolside bar.
We are planning to have cold drinks, sandwiches, chips, salads available. As well as crisps, sweets and ice cream. We have planted some shrubs, I asked them to get smelly ones like Jasmine so when they get established it will be really fragrant. But mainly it is an area for sun bathing. In the afternoon you do get shade but I think we will get some umbrellas to complete the picture.

This is the view from the balcony of Out, which is the first balcony floor. Brits would call it the 1st floor but Americans and Egyptians call it the 2nd floor. As you can see the balcony is a gorgeous place to relax on overlooking both the pool and the Nile in the distance. Surrounded by sugar cane fields and farm land yet conveniently close to the ferry and the Valley of Kings and other pharaonic sites. In fact you can see the temple of Hatshepsut from the flats.

Online, no it isn't

You get all excited when a Goggle alert comes

Egypt Ministry of Transportation launches online ticket booking service

then you read the content

22 August 2008

The Ministry of Transport, Egypt has launched a online ticket booking service in collaboration with the Ministry of State for Administrative Development. The IT Department will maintain the service at the Egyptian National Railways Authority and the National Commercial Bank.

Passengers can book their tickets from the www.egyptrail.gov.eg. Using the service requires a user account, which can be created on the website, and a Visa or MasterCard. The credit card owner can either be the main passenger or a relative of the main passenger and the card used must be issued from Egypt. However, the service does not offer the discount privileges that are available at ticket booths. Each user can purchase five tickets per train and a total of 10 tickets per day in no more than three transactions per card on the same day. After the seat is reserved, the page redirects users to the website of the National Commercial Bank to fill out credit card information and personal information, namely an e-mail address and telephone number where passengers can be reached. Canceling a reservation will mean canceling of all tickets under the same reservation number. Upon cancellation, users receive a 90 percent refund.

Yes the card used must be issued from Egypt. now how stupid is that and what on earth is the point. It is foreigners that 1) have credit cards 2) want to book trains 3) have no access to ticket booths. Argh!!!!!

Moulid of Abu Haggag

You know it is getting near Ramadan when the Moulid comes along. The Muslim calender is a lunar one not solar so events move every year.

Some people believe this Moulid is based on the Ancient Opet Festival when boats used to parade through the streets.

There are various 'floats' which sometimes seem to have a theme but other times just seem to be fun.




Children get party hats, there is stick fighting, horse races. Some of the horses have these incrediblly fancy saddles which cost a lot of money. It is noise, dusty and overwhelming but lots of fun for all the family. Tourists are totally welcome but it can be nicer to watch from a safe venue like the Venus Hotel bar.

Even the camels join in and are decorated although this one look bored with the whole procedings

More finds on Sphinx Avenue

Sphinx statues found in Egypt

CAIRO (AFP) — Egyptian archaeologists have unearthed four small statues of the Sphinx, the mythological figure of a lion with a human head, the Higher Council of Antiquities said on Friday.

The headless sandstone statues were found on a road linking the ancient temples of Luxor and Karnak in southern Egypt, antiquities supremo Zahi Hawass said in a statement.

They were unearthed in an area once occupied by a police station that was demolished as part of a project to rescue artifacts, Hawass said.

The statues date from the reign of King Nekhtnebef who founded the 30th Pharaonic dynasty (363-380 BC), Hawass added.

The same team of archaeologists also found a sandstone block engraved with the name of Queen Cleopatra.

KV64 and KV65

From Andies blog, Zahi has made an announcement about this and other recent discoveries

http://egyptology.blogspot.com/2008/08/interview-hawass-on-latest-discoveries.html

At the Valley of the Kings, we are excavating now, we found the entrances of 2 tombs, KV 64 and KV 65 and in October we will start the excavation.


Andrew: Do you believe that one of these tombs belonged to Ramesses VIII?

Zahi: Yes, the one between Merneptah and Ramesses II could be the Tomb of Ramesses VIII.

DNA testing on Tut’s kids

Loads of news stories on this but I think this one is the best
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/08/06/africa/ME-Egypt-King-Tuts-Fetuses.php

Egypt to DNA-test 2 fetuses from King Tut’s tomb
The Associated PressPublished: August 6, 2008

CAIRO, Egypt: Egyptian scientists are carrying out DNA tests on two mummified fetuses found in the tomb of King Tutankhamun to determine whether they are the young pharaoh’s offspring, Egyptian antiquity authorities said Wednesday.

The two tiny female fetuses, between five to seven months in gestational age, were found in the King Tut’s tomb in Luxor when the tomb was disovered by Howard Carter in 1922.

DNA samples from the fetuses “will be compared to each other, along with those of the mummy of King Tutankhamun,” the head of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, Zahi Hawass, said in a statement.

The testing is part of a wider program to test the DNA of hundreds of mummies to determine their identities and their family relations, and Hawass said the program could help determine Tutankhamun’s family lineage, which has long been a source of mystery among Egyptologists.

The identity of Tut’s parents is not firmly known. Many experts believe he is the son of Akhenaten, the 18th Dynasty pharaoh who tried to introduce monotheism to ancient Egypt, and one of Akhenaten’s queens, Kiya. But others have suggested he was the son of a lesser known pharaoh who followed Akhenaten.

Scholars believe that at the age of 12, Tutankhamun married Ankhesenamun — a daughter of Akhenaten by his better known wife Nefertiti — but the couple had no surviving children. There has been no archaeological indication that Tut, who died around the age of 19 under mysterious circumstances over 3,000 years ago, left any offspring.

Tutankhamun was one of the last kings of Egypt’s 18th Dynasty and ruled during a crucial, turmoil-filled period, when Akhenaten’s monotheism was ended and powers were returned to the priests of ancient Egypt’s multiple deities.

The council said that if the tiny mummies are unrelated to Tut, they may have been placed in his tomb to allow him to “live as a newborn in the afterlife.”

Ashraf Selim, a radiologist and member of the Egyptian team, said the tests could take several months. So far, the team has carried out CT scans on the two fetuses and taken samples for DNA tests.

“We want to find out the truth and facts relevant to the history of these kings,” Selim told The Associated Press.

Since they were found in King Tut’s tomb, the mummified fetuses were kept in storage at the Cairo School of Medicine and were never publicly displayed or studied, Selim said.

Hawass has announced ambitious plans for DNA tests on Egyptian mummies, including tests on all royal mummies and the nearly two dozen unidentified ones stored in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. He has said the tests may show that some royal mummies on display are not who archaeologists thought them to be.

One of his top goals is to find the mummy of Nefertiti, the queen legendary for her beauty.

Last year, Egypt announced that archaeologists had identified the mummy of Hatshepsut, Egypt’s most powerful queen and the only female pharaoh. But scientists later said they were still analyzing DNA from the bald, 3,500-year-old mummy to try to back up the claim.

Hawass has long rejected DNA testing on Egyptian mummies by foreign experts, and only recently allowed such projects on condition they be done exclusively by Egyptians. A $5 million DNA lab was created at the Egyptian Museum, with funding from the Discovery Channel.

But some experts have warned that Hawass is making claims like that of Hatshepsut too quickly, without submitting samples to a second lab to corroborate DNA tests or publishing the results in peer-reviewed journals, both common practice.

The council announced in its statement Wednesday that the governent had agreed with Cairo University’s Faculty of Medicine to open a second DNA testing lab, though it did not give details on funding for the lab or when it could begin work.

Abdel-Halim Nour el-Deen, a former head of the council and a leading Egyptologist said DNA testing on mummies thousands of years old is very difficult.

“It is doubtful that it could produce a scientific result to determine such important issues such as the linage of pharaohs,” Nour el-Deen told the AP.

“We haven’t seen any of their results,” he said. “Such announcements are good for publicity … They sell well in the media.”

Update from Otto Schaden KV63, KV10

AMENMESSE PROJECT UPDATE
28 July 2008


Sorry about the delay in getting out a new Update for until recently I had little new information to offer. After a few months of medication, I was scheduled for a CT-scan early this month and then had to wait until some meetings with the doctors to get the results. Am most pleased to report there is no indication of any return of the tumor which was removed back in January. I am scheduled to continue with the costly pills for a few months, and during that time I have to report just once a month for blood tests. If all goes well, it maybe possible to dispense with the medications soon and just have occasional check-ups.

Plans will go forward for a winter season in the KV. As we are now affiliated with the SCA, we have had some correspondence with Dr. Zahi Hawass and Dr. Magdy el Ghandour, who have been brought up to date on my medical situation. Next, we will soon ask for some clarifications on the proposal and security issues. The proposal will essentially be the same as that submitted last year but with revised “work dates.” The SCA generally suggests that proposals be submitted several months prior to the start of the proposed work dates. As I hope to arrive during December, we will propose the work dates to fall between early December and extend through April or later --- extensions are possible, but we try to have the span long enough to allow for any alterations in the schedule. Lest there be some need to submit early, we will plan to get the proposal in during September.



While we simply use “Amenmesse Project” in the heading above, this includes the work on and in KV-10 and KV-63. The major emphasis will be the resumption of work on the artifacts from KV-63, including restoration and conservation work on the coffins, examinations of the sealed storage jars and special studies involving plant and textile remains. The amount of materials is considerable and it will be necessary to have an additional season after 2008/2009. As of now we still do not know the extent of the contents of the remaining unopened storage jars. The contents of those jars will, in large measure, determine what specialists may have to be added next time.

Now as the are about to get into the autumn we should see an increase in the appearance of these UPDATES. We are looking forward to a successful season.

Many thanks!


Dr. Otto Schaden
Amenmesse Project (KV-10 and KV-63)
A Supreme Council of Antiquities Mission

Little Mohammed becomes a Dad

Remember his wedding Little Mohammed gets married well yesterday at 4am Zeinab arrived on the scene. For those of you not in the know Little Mohammed works at my flats, he is so small he was rejected by the army much to his mortification.

More backdates

All change at the ferry port
The public ferry that links East and West Luxor is having a few changes on the West Bank at the moment. In fact the new development is causing chaos as there has been no provision made for the removal of the service car park. So when you land it is a nightmare. Hopeful when it is finished it will be all worth while

This entry was posted on Thursday, July 24th, 2008

More from Dr Samir Farag
After less than one year from the beginning of its launch!!!

Wireless Internet service in Luxor wins the annual prize for innovation in the Middle East

The wireless Internet service which launched in Luxor less than ten months ago win the anniversary of innovation prize in the field of telecommunications and information technology. Organized by a prominent institutions in the field of communications and information technology in the Middle East, which is the first wireless service for wide-ranging be implemented nationwide.
Dr Samir Faraj the president of luxor Supreme Council said that the draft provide Internet service is one of the forms of cooperation between the Supreme Council of Luxor, and the Ministry of Communications and USAID in order to enable tourists and visitors to Luxor to stay in touch with their relatives during their presence always especially in Luxor temple and karnak temple, one of the most important Tourist areas in Egypt and the world visited annually by more than 2 million tourists for this to be the availability of all services and amenities to attract tourists and revitalize the tourism industry particularly since the Luxor are currently implementing several projects aimed at developing archeological sites and opening the door to a tourist investment to establish the number of Hotels and tourist villages east and west bank and is also currently working on a project to implement the latest electronic site for the city to called luxor portal

This entry was posted on Thursday, July 24th, 2008

Convoys - the end in sight?
Our regular mini bus driver Rageeb who many of you know has been attending the first course for drivers in preparation for the end of the convoys. One of the first questions they asked was when this was going to happen and the top guy from Cairo said ………………………….we don’t know it could be tomorrow or it could be next year.

But at least with this course we know it is planned. The idea is there will still be check points but instead of going in a big group with a police escort at the same time every day you would go when you liked and your driver would have d to have been on this course and have a special pass. Wouldn’t it be nice to go to Abydos and actually spend a decent length of time there.

This entry was posted on Thursday, July 24th, 2008

Flats in Luxor gors Green with Responsible Travel
Flats in Luxor is officially recognised by Responsible Travel as Luxor’s first eco friendly or “green” tourist accommodation.

Luxor, Egypt 14th July 2008 – Flats in Luxor goes green and maintains its unique position as No 1 for accommodation, apartments and flats in Luxor.

Jane Akshar announced ‘Its official we are now GREEN. Flats in Luxor were the first to offer apartments in Luxor of tourist standard. Now they are the first to go green. We are very excited about this new aspect to our business.’

Jane did a holiday herself through Responsible Travel and liked the concept so much she decided to apply to her own business and make it eco friendly. Having spent time reviewing their business practices, tours and accommodation they made changes in accordance with the latest ecological practices. Staff terms and conditions, environment, fittings and furniture, even their tours had to make changes in order to meet the high standards required.

Jane continued “We have always believed in keeping the tourist dollar in the local economy and this is just an extension of that kind of tourism or travel. There were areas we had to review staff, consumables, recycling, etc. For example our staff are 100% Egyptian, from Luxor itself. We take our responsibilities to them seriously, we recently helped 2 members with their wedding expenses and we always cover sickness. Another example is our consumption of electricity, which is all hydro electric; using low energy bulbs, timed lighting in communal areas, and providing fans so reduce the use of air conditioning. There is lots, lots more’

With many people looking to reduce their carbon footprint, initiatives like this are very welcome to eco tourists. Having travelled to Egypt to see it’s unique historical sites and local culture you then want to make sure you do everything you can to reduce your impact on the environment.

Even our some of our tours are green using bicycles and donkeys for transportation to the sites and walking tours with local guides.”

So whether it is the Valley of Kings, temple of Queen Hatshepsut, buying an alabaster pyramid or a week by a pool you can do it the green way with Flats in Luxor.

Flats in Luxor http://www.flatsinluxor.co.uk/ is owned by Jane Akshar and Mahmoud Jahlan, recommended by the Lonely Planet and Rough Guide. It provides unique independent holidays and tours to visitors to Egypt. Whether you want a full holiday arranged or just a camel trip in Luxor they can help you. They also provide Nile Cruises on sailing boats via Sail the Nile http://www.sailthenile.com/

Jane Akshar is also the author of the popular blog http://www.luxornews.net/ which is hosted by Tour Egypt, the premier guide on the web to holidays in Egypt.

The Flats in Luxor page on Responsible Travel is here http://www.responsibletravel.com/preview.asp?Entity=Accommodation&ID=900688

This entry was posted on Monday, July 14th, 2008

Heliopolis

I am really sorry but don’t bother going there. It is a tiny park in the middle of a very insalubrious part of town. You need an extremely reliable taxi driver to get you there. I have no idea of the opening times I had to shout and scream and jump up and down and eventually (after 45 minutes) they let me in on my SCA card. So I have no idea about prices either. The obelisk itself was covered in scaffolding and the other objects in the ‘open air museum’ were few and not particularly good examples. Still I have done it.


osirisnet.net wonderful resource
I noticed the following through EEF. OK it is not Luxor but it has loads of Luxor tombs, fantastic resource.. Next post, another Luxor story, Heliopolis

Hi,
It has been more than 70 years since the last publication (incomplete) of the mastaba of Mereruka in Saqqara, which nevertheless could have seemed well known, since it is open to the public. We are therefore particularly happy and proud to be able to present to you the first complete publication of this beautiful monument, which includes
21 surface rooms and a funeral chamber (those belonging to Mereruka himself). Thanks to more than 150 colour photographs and many drawings and plans (often original), you will indeed be able, we think, to have a different view of this mastaba. The current coverage took nearly one year’s work to Jon Hirst. This will be extended by the production of the portions of the monument belonging to his wife Watekhethor, and to his son Meryteti.

http://www.osirisnet.net/mastabas/mererouka/e_mereruka_01.htm

Enjoy the visit.

Thierry BENDERITTER
www.osirisnet.net
Monuments of Egypt
Presidents and delegations in Luxor after the Sharm el-Sheikh summit
From the Press Office of Dr Samir Farag


Mr. Laurent Gbagbor, President of the Republic of Côte Difoarbziarh visited Luxor on Wednesday after the Sharm el-Sheikh summit with also a group of official delegations from African participants in the Sharm el-Sheikh summit from several states who were keen to watch the various archaeological sites in Luxor before leaving Egypt to return to their country
Gbagbor began his tour accompanied by Dr. Samir Faraj President of the Supreme Council of Luxor, during which he visited the Temple of Luxor, the Museum of Mummification watched and watch the presentation of sound and light at the Temple of Karnak
He also expressed his deep admiration for the beauty of the ancient Egyptian monuments the pharaonic tombs in the Valley of the Kings and Queens in the West Bank of the Nile as he visited the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut in the monastery Marine and two statues of memnon

This entry was posted on Thursday, July 3rd, 2008

Presidents and delegations in Luxor after the Sharm el-Sheikh summit
From the Press Office of Dr Samir Farag


Mr. Laurent Gbagbor, President of the Republic of Côte Difoarbziarh visited Luxor on Wednesday after the Sharm el-Sheikh summit with also a group of official delegations from African participants in the Sharm el-Sheikh summit from several states who were keen to watch the various archaeological sites in Luxor before leaving Egypt to return to their country
Gbagbor began his tour accompanied by Dr. Samir Faraj President of the Supreme Council of Luxor, during which he visited the Temple of Luxor, the Museum of Mummification watched and watch the presentation of sound and light at the Temple of Karnak
He also expressed his deep admiration for the beauty of the ancient Egyptian monuments the pharaonic tombs in the Valley of the Kings and Queens in the West Bank of the Nile as he visited the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut in the monastery Marine and two statues of memnon

This entry was posted on Thursday, July 3rd, 2008

Benz closes for 3 months
Benz the best resturant in Luxor IMHO is closing for 3 months, Ben the owner has to go back to the UK to sort out some stuff. He will cme back in 3 months probably in a new location.

This entry was posted on Saturday, June 28th

TT46 TT49
Had a mini update on the excavations going on here. The Redfords are leading a field school, lucky students, and excavated the front of these tombs which had been entered via a robbers entrance. By excavating the original entrance and courtyard they hoped to learn more about the owners. Not a lot of luck there but they have found some nice stuff, including some beautiful 18 dyn carving of hair. What an opportunity for these students to be on an actual dig.

This entry was posted on Friday, June 27th, 2008

Takeaways from Arkwrights
Some recent guests of mine got a lunch box takeaway from Arkwrights. It was roderedthe night before and picked up at 6:40am in time to catch the Aswan convoy. I got a report back this morning.

Highly recommend Arkwrights - Delicious, Fresh & VERY Yummy!

So anyone doing a day trip can get a nice lunch from there. Great if you are not staying in a hotel and can not use their services

This entry was posted on Monday, June 23rd, 2008

Hot Air Balloons in Luxor
Last week there was a major accident at one of the balloon companies, Viking, storage depots. You may have read about it on the news. There have been a number of other accidents recently involving tourists. I have long been an advocate of not choosing your balloon ride on price but checking safety records, insurance etc as well.

Hod Hod Soliman have recently published this response to the accident and I have invited other balloon companies to also respond. If I have missed any company, apologies and I would welcome your response. Please email me and I will publish it on this site.

This is Hod Hod Soliman’s comment BTW the quotes are from EgyptMad http://www.egyptmad.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=9292&hl which is an open discussion forum and other balloon companies can make comments.

“Hod-Hod Soliman Balloons built a compound to store their balloons and refuel on farm land on the west bank about 9 years ago. It was completely isolated.
Over the course of the last few years many illegal villas and blocks of flats/small hotels have been built in the area, finally right next door.
So Hod-Hod Soliman moved their gas to privately owned land on the east bank where they have a temporary custom built refuelling and storage building. It is near the middle of a 5 acre garden, with an unimpeded slope of about 100 metres towards the river boundary. Nitrogen, which is of course inert, and no fire risk was stored at the original site until it was discovered that locals thought it was butane gas. It has now been removed.
No smoking and no fires are allowed on the present site and no balloons, lorries or other highly combustible materials are stored there.
Hod-Hod Soliman have suggested to the authorities that re-fuelling should be carried out at the local government approved depots for storing gas for re-distribution locally. The authorities have yet to take action.
Hod-Hod Soliman have been actively trying to find a suitable site, where it can be guaranteed that housing whether legal or illegal will not encroach in the future beyond the bounds of safety. This has proved to be a very difficult task. It is understood that some of the present ballooning premises were originally in isolation, but are now surrounded by housing.
All members of staff of Hod-Hod Soliman have received certificated training in fire-fighting from the local fire service as part of their in-house training.
Constant vigilance is necessary by all who are dealing with highly combustible materials of any kind.”

From my own point of view, I appreciate that balloon companies employ about 60 men each and there are 5 large companies. In addition they use large numbers of microbuses and river launches, so contribute significantly to the local economy.
This is not the first time there has been an accident of this kind. A few years ago there was an incident with Balloons Over Egypt, now known as Sky Cruise, where at least one member of their crew subsequently died of their injuries.
I really don’t think that too much care can be taken. I think the idea of refuelling at a gas supply terminal is a good one. Al Hamdulillah, as far as I know no other company has had a re-fueling problem, including Viking Air.

It is unfortunately true, that no matter what safe-guards are in place, the human factor usually plays a part in any disaster of any kind.

Jane, internationally Pilots are recommended to take off with full gas tanks, with enough fuel to last for twice the expected requirement. Just in case they need to fly for longer due to not finding an appropriate landing site.
They use the first cylinder until there is only 10% left then change to the next, and so on. Usually they have two nearly empty tanks and two full ones at the end of the flight if they start with four. Obviously there are contents gauges on the gas cylinders.

editted with further comment from them

In answer to your question, Hod-Hod Soliman started in 1993. Since then there has not been a claim on their insurance. Al Hamdulillah.

There is a Preferred Code of Practice - Hot Air Ballooning, issued by the major tour operators which is pretty detailed. In one section it says:
“Ballooning is by nature a potentially dangerous sport, all participants must be made aware of the risks involved and the correct actions to take while ballooning. Participants should note that although very remote, the risk of injury still exists and they should not participate in the sport if they are unhappy with the fact.”

I cannot speak for other companies, but I hope that all companies give their passengers an information sheet before the flight, which includes the pilot briefing, and guidance on those who should NOT fly. Included in this should be an opportunity to declare to the supplier or pilot in confidence medical conditions which could affect them or other passengers during the activities.

In spite of this agencies still send people in wheel chairs, on crutches, in plaster - either arm or leg - and visibly pregnant, although very definitely no pregnant woman should fly. The first the balloon company knows about this is when the passengers turn up for the flight!

The information sheet should also make it clear that the company cannot guarantee to fly over a particular area ( as they are borne by the wind) cannot guarantee the length of the flight, as conditions whch are not obvious to the untrained may necessitate a longer or shorter flight for safety reasons.

The care that a company takes over the selection and training of it’s pilots and their supervision after they have qualified in my personal view has a direct bearing on the safety record of the company.

Their email is hodhodoffice@yahoo.co.uk

This entry was posted on Tuesday, June 3rd, 2008

Hot Air Balloons in Luxor
Last week there was a major accident at one of the balloon companies, Viking, storage depots. You may have read about it on the news. There have been a number of other accidents recently involving tourists. I have long been an advocate of not choosing your balloon ride on price but checking safety records, insurance etc as well.

Hod Hod Soliman have recently published this response to the accident and I have invited other balloon companies to also respond. If I have missed any company, apologies and I would welcome your response. Please email me and I will publish it on this site.

This is Hod Hod Soliman’s comment BTW the quotes are from EgyptMad http://www.egyptmad.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=9292&hl which is an open discussion forum and other balloon companies can make comments.

“Hod-Hod Soliman Balloons built a compound to store their balloons and refuel on farm land on the west bank about 9 years ago. It was completely isolated.
Over the course of the last few years many illegal villas and blocks of flats/small hotels have been built in the area, finally right next door.
So Hod-Hod Soliman moved their gas to privately owned land on the east bank where they have a temporary custom built refuelling and storage building. It is near the middle of a 5 acre garden, with an unimpeded slope of about 100 metres towards the river boundary. Nitrogen, which is of course inert, and no fire risk was stored at the original site until it was discovered that locals thought it was butane gas. It has now been removed.
No smoking and no fires are allowed on the present site and no balloons, lorries or other highly combustible materials are stored there.
Hod-Hod Soliman have suggested to the authorities that re-fuelling should be carried out at the local government approved depots for storing gas for re-distribution locally. The authorities have yet to take action.
Hod-Hod Soliman have been actively trying to find a suitable site, where it can be guaranteed that housing whether legal or illegal will not encroach in the future beyond the bounds of safety. This has proved to be a very difficult task. It is understood that some of the present ballooning premises were originally in isolation, but are now surrounded by housing.
All members of staff of Hod-Hod Soliman have received certificated training in fire-fighting from the local fire service as part of their in-house training.
Constant vigilance is necessary by all who are dealing with highly combustible materials of any kind.”

From my own point of view, I appreciate that balloon companies employ about 60 men each and there are 5 large companies. In addition they use large numbers of microbuses and river launches, so contribute significantly to the local economy.
This is not the first time there has been an accident of this kind. A few years ago there was an incident with Balloons Over Egypt, now known as Sky Cruise, where at least one member of their crew subsequently died of their injuries.
I really don’t think that too much care can be taken. I think the idea of refuelling at a gas supply terminal is a good one. Al Hamdulillah, as far as I know no other company has had a re-fueling problem, including Viking Air.

It is unfortunately true, that no matter what safe-guards are in place, the human factor usually plays a part in any disaster of any kind.

Jane, internationally Pilots are recommended to take off with full gas tanks, with enough fuel to last for twice the expected requirement. Just in case they need to fly for longer due to not finding an appropriate landing site.
They use the first cylinder until there is only 10% left then change to the next, and so on. Usually they have two nearly empty tanks and two full ones at the end of the flight if they start with four. Obviously there are contents gauges on the gas cylinders.

editted with further comment from them

In answer to your question, Hod-Hod Soliman started in 1993. Since then there has not been a claim on their insurance. Al Hamdulillah.

There is a Preferred Code of Practice - Hot Air Ballooning, issued by the major tour operators which is pretty detailed. In one section it says:
“Ballooning is by nature a potentially dangerous sport, all participants must be made aware of the risks involved and the correct actions to take while ballooning. Participants should note that although very remote, the risk of injury still exists and they should not participate in the sport if they are unhappy with the fact.”

I cannot speak for other companies, but I hope that all companies give their passengers an information sheet before the flight, which includes the pilot briefing, and guidance on those who should NOT fly. Included in this should be an opportunity to declare to the supplier or pilot in confidence medical conditions which could affect them or other passengers during the activities.

In spite of this agencies still send people in wheel chairs, on crutches, in plaster - either arm or leg - and visibly pregnant, although very definitely no pregnant woman should fly. The first the balloon company knows about this is when the passengers turn up for the flight!

The information sheet should also make it clear that the company cannot guarantee to fly over a particular area ( as they are borne by the wind) cannot guarantee the length of the flight, as conditions whch are not obvious to the untrained may necessitate a longer or shorter flight for safety reasons.

The care that a company takes over the selection and training of it’s pilots and their supervision after they have qualified in my personal view has a direct bearing on the safety record of the company.

Their email is hodhodoffice@yahoo.co.uk

This entry was posted on Tuesday, June 3rd, 2008

Hot Air Balloons in Luxor
Last week there was a major accident at one of the balloon companies, Viking, storage depots. You may have read about it on the news. There have been a number of other accidents recently involving tourists. I have long been an advocate of not choosing your balloon ride on price but checking safety records, insurance etc as well.

Hod Hod Soliman have recently published this response to the accident and I have invited other balloon companies to also respond. If I have missed any company, apologies and I would welcome your response. Please email me and I will publish it on this site.

This is Hod Hod Soliman’s comment BTW the quotes are from EgyptMad http://www.egyptmad.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=9292&hl which is an open discussion forum and other balloon companies can make comments.

“Hod-Hod Soliman Balloons built a compound to store their balloons and refuel on farm land on the west bank about 9 years ago. It was completely isolated.
Over the course of the last few years many illegal villas and blocks of flats/small hotels have been built in the area, finally right next door.
So Hod-Hod Soliman moved their gas to privately owned land on the east bank where they have a temporary custom built refuelling and storage building. It is near the middle of a 5 acre garden, with an unimpeded slope of about 100 metres towards the river boundary. Nitrogen, which is of course inert, and no fire risk was stored at the original site until it was discovered that locals thought it was butane gas. It has now been removed.
No smoking and no fires are allowed on the present site and no balloons, lorries or other highly combustible materials are stored there.
Hod-Hod Soliman have suggested to the authorities that re-fuelling should be carried out at the local government approved depots for storing gas for re-distribution locally. The authorities have yet to take action.
Hod-Hod Soliman have been actively trying to find a suitable site, where it can be guaranteed that housing whether legal or illegal will not encroach in the future beyond the bounds of safety. This has proved to be a very difficult task. It is understood that some of the present ballooning premises were originally in isolation, but are now surrounded by housing.
All members of staff of Hod-Hod Soliman have received certificated training in fire-fighting from the local fire service as part of their in-house training.
Constant vigilance is necessary by all who are dealing with highly combustible materials of any kind.”

From my own point of view, I appreciate that balloon companies employ about 60 men each and there are 5 large companies. In addition they use large numbers of microbuses and river launches, so contribute significantly to the local economy.
This is not the first time there has been an accident of this kind. A few years ago there was an incident with Balloons Over Egypt, now known as Sky Cruise, where at least one member of their crew subsequently died of their injuries.
I really don’t think that too much care can be taken. I think the idea of refuelling at a gas supply terminal is a good one. Al Hamdulillah, as far as I know no other company has had a re-fueling problem, including Viking Air.

It is unfortunately true, that no matter what safe-guards are in place, the human factor usually plays a part in any disaster of any kind.

Jane, internationally Pilots are recommended to take off with full gas tanks, with enough fuel to last for twice the expected requirement. Just in case they need to fly for longer due to not finding an appropriate landing site.
They use the first cylinder until there is only 10% left then change to the next, and so on. Usually they have two nearly empty tanks and two full ones at the end of the flight if they start with four. Obviously there are contents gauges on the gas cylinders.

editted with further comment from them

In answer to your question, Hod-Hod Soliman started in 1993. Since then there has not been a claim on their insurance. Al Hamdulillah.

There is a Preferred Code of Practice - Hot Air Ballooning, issued by the major tour operators which is pretty detailed. In one section it says:
“Ballooning is by nature a potentially dangerous sport, all participants must be made aware of the risks involved and the correct actions to take while ballooning. Participants should note that although very remote, the risk of injury still exists and they should not participate in the sport if they are unhappy with the fact.”

I cannot speak for other companies, but I hope that all companies give their passengers an information sheet before the flight, which includes the pilot briefing, and guidance on those who should NOT fly. Included in this should be an opportunity to declare to the supplier or pilot in confidence medical conditions which could affect them or other passengers during the activities.

In spite of this agencies still send people in wheel chairs, on crutches, in plaster - either arm or leg - and visibly pregnant, although very definitely no pregnant woman should fly. The first the balloon company knows about this is when the passengers turn up for the flight!

The information sheet should also make it clear that the company cannot guarantee to fly over a particular area ( as they are borne by the wind) cannot guarantee the length of the flight, as conditions whch are not obvious to the untrained may necessitate a longer or shorter flight for safety reasons.

The care that a company takes over the selection and training of it’s pilots and their supervision after they have qualified in my personal view has a direct bearing on the safety record of the company.

Their email is hodhodoffice@yahoo.co.uk

This entry was posted on Tuesday, June 3rd, 2008

Arkwrights - New Supermarket
.

First of all for all non UK people Arkwrights was the name of a small grocers in a sit com set in the 1970’s. The use of the name reflects the market this shop is going after, ex pats and tourists.

The staff were all extremely willing, spoke English and very friendly. They all wore uniform t-shirts and the preparation area for the sandwiches was spotless.


It is expensive but you pay what you get. For example I bought a bowl of salad for 7.70 LE, about 70p, now that is really expensive compared to the price of the products but unless you are making for 20 you could not beat the price. My salad had lettuce, rocket, peppers, onions, cherry tomatoes, cucumber all sorts. I could have bought all that much cheaper but not in a quantity for one person. I would have spent the same amount (actually probably more) and ended up throwing loads away because I could not use it. Other things reflected that fact they were imported. So not somewhere you would do you regular shopping but perfect for tourist lunches and ex pat special treats.

Layout was spacious and fridges in full working order It was spotlessly clean and they even had their own packaging.



All together I was very impressed, spent loads more than I intended. I bought a baguette and it stuffed with filling, really tasty. Also some lamb and sauces, they had lots of sugar fee cereals, gingernuts. There was also some great bread, multi grain, loaves, baguettes, French sticks.

They also had this totally willing boy with a name badge Granville, so amusing (if you are a Brit) he really looked the part, well a younger version.


Whoops nearly forgot location it is on the road by the St Josept hotel

This entry was posted on Sunday, June 1st, 2008

West Bank dewatering
At a recent lecture we were told by Mansour Boraik of the SCA that they have started to look into a dewatering project for the West Bank. The proposal would be to have a pipe from Medinet Habu to Seti I. It is certainly needed. These recent photos show the situation at the Ramaseum and Seti I

This entry was posted on Thursday, May 15th, 2008

Luxor West Bank website
I have been contacted by the owners of the Luxor West Bank website who are in the process of updating and relaunching the website. It is a German/English site and a good resource for everything on the West Bankhttp://www.luxor-westbank.com/indexe.htm

This entry was posted on Friday, May 9th, 2008

Egypt Exploration Society
I just thought I wold do a quick plug for EES as I have just paid my memberships dues. I have been a member for donkeys years and it is great to support something so worthwhile. They produce a very good magazine as part of your membership and even manage to get it posted to me in Egypt so no problems if you outside the UK. Loads of information on the website www.ees.ac.uk

This entry was posted on Tuesday, May 6th, 2008

New Ticket Prices
I Had Already Heard That Ticket Prices Were Going Up 25% In November And Trip Advisor Have Published A Very Useful List.

I have to say the list is a little odd in places as Nefertari’s tomb is mentioned, the Taftaf is already 4 at the Valley of Kings and 2 at Hatshepsut and other names are spelt interestingly or missing altogether. B is used instead of P e.g. Pabasa is Babasa, but having said that it is a good list as it goes

Http://Www.Tripadvisor.Com/Travel-G294201-C85221/Cairo:Egypt:New.Entrance.Fees.Starting.From.Nov.2008.Html

Archaeological Site Price (Le)
Abdein Palace Museum 15
Abu Seir Pyramids 20
Abu Simbel Temples 80
Akhenaton Tomb 25
Alexandria National Museum 35
Amada Area 45
Anba Samaan Monastery 25
Areish National Museum 25
Ashraf Barespay School (Medressah) 8
Assasif Tomb 30
Aswan Museum 30
Ay Tomb 25
Babaza Tomb 25
Bahareia Oasis 45
Bashtak Palace 8
Beir Yousef 25
Beni Hassan Tombs 30
Beni Soueif Museum 15
Birds’ Villa At Kom El Dekka 15
Catacombs (Kom El Shokafa) 35
Causeway Of Unas Pyramid 5
Citadel Of Saladin In Cairo 50
Citadel Mahka 25
Coptic Museum 50
Dahshur Pyramid 30
Deir El Bahary Temple 30
Deir El Hagar Temple 25
Deir El Medina Tombs 30
Dendera Temple 35
Doush Temple 25 Giza Pyramids Archeological Site 60
Edfu Temple 50
Egyptian Museum 60
Egyptian Treasures Exhibition 15
Ein Aseil 25
El Anfoushy Archaeological Site 20
El Araba El Madfouna At Abydos 30
El Bagawat Area At Oasis 30
El Darb El Asfar 25
El Ghoueita 25
El Ghoury Collection 25
El Hamameya 25
El Harawy House 15
El Kab Tombs 30
El Khoukha Area 25
El Kousair Fortress 15
El Lahoun Pyramid 35
El Mamela Tomb At Esna 15
El Mozawaka 25
El Nasr & El Foutouh Gates 8
El Sebouaa Area<45
El Seheimy House 30
El Sennary House 25
El Set Wasila 15
El Shatby Site 20
El Towed Temple 25
El Zayan Temple 25
Electronic Guide 25
Elwet Abd El Gorna 25
Esna Temple 20
Ezbet Bashandy 25
Fostat City 10
Freizar Tomb 20
Gayer Anderson Museum 35
Gebel El Mawta (Mountain Of Dead) At Siwa 25
Graves Of The Royal Family Of Mohamed Ali 20
Great Pyramid 100
Greco-Roman Museum 40
Hawara Pyramid 35
Heibes Temple 30
House Of Gamal El Din El Zahaby 15
Islamic Art Museum 40
Ismaelia Museum 15
Jewelry Museum 40
Karaneis Area 25
Karnak Temples 65
Karoun Temple 25
Kom Ombo Temple And Crocodiles Museum 30
Kom Osheim Museum At Fayoum 10
Luxor Museum 80
Luxor Temple 50
Malawy Museum 10
Manial Palace Museum 35
Mariet Razna Museum At Zagazig Governorate 10
Matareyah Obelisk 15
Medinet Habu Temple 30
Meidoum Pyramid 35
Meir Metkal School (Medressah) 8
Meir Tomb 25
Mencaura Pyramid (3rd Pyramid) 25
Merit Amoun Statue 25
Mery N Petah Temple 15
Mohamed Bek Abu El Zahaby Collection 25
Mummification Museum At Luxor 50
Mummy Room 100
Museum Of Meit Rehyna ( Memphis Museum ) 35
Mustafa Kamel Archaeological Site 20
Nafisa Al Bayda 8
New Tombs At Sakkara 30
New Valley Museum(Al Wadi El Gedid 30
Nilometer At Rodah Island 15
Nubian Art Museum 50
Open Air Museum At Karnak 25
Pompay’s Pillar 20
Port Said Museum 15
Princes Tombs 30
Queitbay Fortress (Day Visit) 25
Queitbay Fortress (Night Visit) 25
Queitbay Fortress At Rasheid Tower 15
Ramesseum Temple 30
Ramouze Tomb 30
Rashid Archaeological Area 15
Rashid National Museum 25
Refaei Mosque 25
Roman Theatre 20
Romel Cave Museum 10
Royal Chariots Museum 35
Sakkara Archaeological Site 60
Saladin Fortress At Taba ( In Usd) 10 $ Usd
San El Hagar Museum 20
Sebil Ali Bek Al Kebeir In Tanta Free
Sebil And Kottab Of Sultan Queitbay 25
Sebil Island 25
Second Pyramid 30
Solar Boat Museum 50
Sultan Hassan Mosque 25
Taba Museum 15
Taftaf 2
Tanta Museum 15
Tel Basta Archaeological Site 20
Tel El Amarna 30
Temple Of Philae 50
Temple Of Hor-Moheb 25
Temple Of Kalabsha 35
Temple Of Oracle Of Amun At Siwa 25
Temple Of Seti The First 30
Tomb Of Nefertary 100
Tomb Of Bashedu 15
Tomb Of Menna And Nakht 25
Tomb Of Rameses Vi At Valley Of Kings 50
Tomb Of Tutankhamun 100
Tombs Of Roy & Sheroy 15
Tona El Gebel & Ashmounin 20
Tree Of The Virgin At Matareyah 15
Unfinished Obelisk 30
User Hat , Khonsu & Benya 15
Valley Of The Kings 80
Valley Of The Queens 35
Wekalet Al Ghoury 15
Wekalet Bazaraa 20
Zeinab Khatoun House 15
Zewiela Gate 15

This entry was posted on Tuesday, April 29th, 2008

Arabic and Its Role in Egyptology and Egyptian Archaeology - Nicole Hansen
Nicole aka glyphdoctor has written a really interesting article http://www.glyphdoctors.com/mod/resource/view.php?id=1184 I encourage you to have a read of it.

I felt one of her points about Egyptian workmen recognising changes in the soil better than a graduate student was so relevant. Some of these guys have worked on digs for decades as had their fathers and their grandfathers, they have a feel for things which is worth far more than theoretical knowledge IMHO. At the Open Air Museum there is a guy called Ahmed who is a complete whiz at recognising and reassembling, he had retired but they made him start working again as he was irreplaceable.

Her points about the Arabic language and Egyptian specialists are very pertinent as well

This entry was posted on Saturday, April 26th, 2008

Luxor Airport Taxi Fares Standardised
There is now a big sign at the airport stating the taxi fares to the various hotels on the East Bank. The centre of town is 25, slightly out of town(Sheraton/Hilton) is 30 and the Jolliville and Sofitel are marked as 35LE. That will make getting a taxi at the airport much less hazardous but please remember my post about being generous when it comes to tipping.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, April 22nd, 2008

Diving in the Nile
My Goggle alerts tell me that various artifacts have been found in the Nile, I am not surprised and in fact think this might discover something I ave always believed in. It is another Ramasseum puzzle, why only one colossus, why an asymmetrical temple? I personally think it was planned to have two, maybe the second didn’t get off the drawing board or maybe it sunk on its way from Aswan to Luxor! Perhaps this search of the Nile will prove me right, that would be soooo cool.

Star Gazing
Micheal on the roof is a bit of a star buff, he has done navigation exams and has a captains licence. He is leaving soon having spent the winter here and last night had a farewell and spot the space station party.

Yes the night sky is so clear here and although there is some background light there is nothing like the UK. So at 19:24 exactly as forecast the space station appeared, it raced across the sky and then disappeared as the shadow of the earth caught it. We were all quite fascinated and my Egyptian husband was entranced knowing there were actually people up there.

So there is another aspect to your holiday in Egypt, check up and see if there is anything special in the nightsky while you here.

BTW the ancients were brill at star gazing, remember the ceiling in TT353

This entry was posted on Tuesday, April 15th, 2008

Toss another steak on the barbie

This is another one of my heartfelt quests for information. At the back of the third south pylon at the Ramaseum there is a great battle scene. Ramases is in his chariot riding into battle, defenders are at the top of the fortress, the artillery are shooting arrows, cavalry are charging, a son of Ramses is about to top a enemy soldier, a lovely lively scene and right in the middle at the bottom they are having a barbecue!!!!!!

Here are some much better images, my photos heavily editted by Hannes from Germany


Well it looks like it, someone is carrying the buns, another person has a jar of wine and there is a small cow. It has always puzzled me as it just does not seem to fit.


Today I was at the Ramasseum and there were some obvious archaeologists sitting there and I asked them about it and they said they were just discussing it themselves. Speculation was that it might have been added later but the content still puzzled everyone.

Does anyone have any idea, I am sure it has been published in French as Christian leBlanc is working there, but I do not read French so that is no help.

Here is another photo taken by Stan


This entry was posted on Monday, April 14th, 2008 at 3:29 pm and is filed under Jane Akshar. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

9 Responses to “Toss another steak on the barbie”
S Says:
April 14th, 2008 at 6:57 pm
If you can find a copy I would be happy to translate (FR->EN). In the meantime, maybe you can help me with another “mystery” concerning the same scene. When we were there a few weeks ago, we referred to a guidebook that insisted that the enemy leader could be seen being dragged from the river, held upside down and beaten on the back in order to resuscitate him. Looked up, down, left, right. We couldn’t find him. Any help would be appreciated.

Administrator Says:
April 14th, 2008 at 8:14 pm
That is on the back of the second pylon north side, I was told he was Egyptian and had ‘fallen in the water’!!!!!!

khnumhotep Says:
April 15th, 2008 at 11:56 pm
The scene about the ‘enemy leader’ is on the North-west side of the second pylon (just to the left of the colossi as you face the first pylon). A discription of the scene, as well as a line drawing, can be found on the following link. http://www.nilemuse.com/muse/orontes.html A description of the event can be found in Kitchen’s Pharaoh Triumphant, although i don’t have the page number at hand.

As for the scenes at the back of the third pylon. I believe they are often called ‘the siege of cities of Dapur and Tunip’.

Hope this helps.
Ken

Clandestino Says:
April 17th, 2008 at 7:17 pm
This is Dapur… The figure on the left side is one of the son of Ramses’, KhaEmWaset, but MontuHirKhopsef is also be shown on the wall. Other four sons of Rameses is shown by fighting against the fortress of Dapur, carved as warriors wearing shield and sword, SethEmWia, MeriAmoun, Seti and SotepenRa… Opposite of them they’re sirians (with the food and wine…), one of them with the gesture of adoration… Maybe they will offer some food for the egyptians? Don’t disturb, there’re some bread and wine, let us go away…? (The last ist only my idea)

The CEDAE has a serie of superb publications about the Ramesseum, but this part can be maybe one of the 1970′ or 80′ parts. You can find it in CAIRO by CEDAI i’m sure.

Clandes
:-(… i feel my beloved place again…

Clandestino Says:
April 17th, 2008 at 7:23 pm
ps: Maybe it’s a publication written by Goyon, when it helps…

Administrator Says:
April 18th, 2008 at 10:51 am
Well your explaniation is possible but when you look at the scene it seems so out of place. If it was to the side it would make more sense but right in the middle it just does not seem to be part of the original/ I would welcome any other contributions

Administrator Says:
April 19th, 2008 at 12:30 pm
I got a reply via EEF from Daniel Soliman

I wrote my BA thesis on the depictions of sieges of Syrian
fortresses by Egyptians and I discussed this scene as well.
These four people are most likely the inhabitants of the village of Dapuru that is under attack, as their garments are cleary
not Egyptian. According to Wreszinksi, these figures are
the chief of the town, his wife and two daughters ( Wreszinksi,
Atlas zur altaegyptischen Kulturgeschichte II, 109). This is implied
by the fact that they are depicted on a bigger scale than the
common Egyptian soldiers in front of them, reflecting their
relative prestige or rank. A similar phenomenon can be seen
in the tomb of Horemheb at Saqqara, where the Egyptian
scribes bringing in rows of foreign prisoners of war are much
smaller than the enemies. The four figures here seem to bringing
a tribute to the Egyptian victors consisting of an ox, wine and
a basket of breads. This could be interpretated as sign of capitulation. The theme of tribute giving is not unique in such scenes and
occurs in other Ramesside reliefs.

Daniel Soliman

Clandestino Says:
April 20th, 2008 at 11:59 am
I told the same but i’m not a scientist so nobody believed me …
C

Administrator Says:
April 22nd, 2008 at 12:15 pm
I must admit I was swayed by the fact he did his docorate in these scenes but it was the reference that was the clincher ( Wreszinksi, Atlas zur altaegyptischen Kulturgeschichte II, 109).

Toutankhamon Magazine

Bonsoir,

Since few days, the new issue of Toutankhamon Magazine is available (# 38)

In cover : a new tomb at Abusir (by Miroslav Barta)
Cleopatra VII : the death of Egypt
the cultual relief of Kom Ombo
The fortresses of deserts
Enigmatic text (the golden shrine of toutankhamon)
Image in Ancient Egypt (by Benoit Lurson)
Palermo Stone and Turin Papyrus
Moon in religion
El Tarif
Hermitage Museum
Hippolyte Boussac : unknown egyptologist
Another face of Upper Egypt
and also in our web site :
podcasts and forum
www.toutankhamon-magazine.com
next issue : end of may 2008
best regards,

francois tonic
redactor of chief

This entry was posted on Sunday, March 30th, 2008

Seti I Temple

I have blogged about this so many times and really hoped something was happening but although the blocks were dismantled and left to dry nothing has happened to them. Just look at these two, is string really supposed to keep things together. It breaks my heart

New discovery?

Courtsey of EEF

One of those curious Egypt State Information Service reports which I felt belonged in this past thread (March 2):

Press report: “The first excavation team was formed” http://www.sis.gov.eg/En/EgyptOnline/Culture/000001/0203000000000000000967.htm

“Culture Minister Farouk Hosni named the first antiquities excavation team under Dr. Zahi Hawas Secretary General of the Antiquities Supreme Council to operate in Valley of the Kings in Luxor to unearth a number of tombs of kings and queens including Ramses the Second and Thutmose the Second. Dr. Hawas said the unearthing of those tombs would be regarded as the most important discovery since that of Tutankhamen tomb, especially as the excavation operations in the western bank was monopolized by foreign missions.”

“Ramses II” makes no sense — likely Ramses VIII was meant.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, March 25th, 2008

Rumour of a find in the Valley of Kings

I have no idea if this is true or not but there is a rumour going round that a doorway has been found in the Valley. It has been hidden again awaiting the arrival of Dr Zahi Hawass.

Editted
How interesting I received an email as a reuslt of this story pointing me to this story
http://www.legendarytimes.com/index.php?op=news&func=news&id=5877

Nefertiti’s Tomb Found? Sensational Discovery in the Egyptian Valley of the Kings!

BASEL, Switzerland, March 11, 2008.

Nefertiti’s Tomb found? Sensational discovery in the Egyptian Valley of the Kings! Once again, a new tomb was discovered underneath the desert sands, as reported by the German-language MYSTERIES Magazine in its next newsstand issue.

So far, the Egyptian Department of the Antiquities has kept silent about the exact location of this discovery. As MYSTERIES has now revealed exclusively on its webpage, the tomb, which was discovered in November 2007, is allegedly located in very close vicinity of King Meren-Ptah (KV . Could it be the last resting space of Ramesses VIII? Hardly, because the discovery appears to be a “stepped entrance” which points to a significant Amarna Ruler Tomb from the 18th Dynasty - possibly even to the legendary and elusive last resting place of Pharaoh Akhenaten or his wife Nefertiti!

After the discovery of King Tut’s tomb in 1922 and the Tomb Depository KV 63 in 2006, this is only the third significant discovery in the Valley of the Kings in the last 85 years. It can be expected that Zahi Hawass will hold an international press conference soon informing the public about this sensational discovery, especially since he also made another “significant discovery” with the famous tomb of Pharaoh Sethos I.

Text courtesy of Luc Buergin, Publisher of MYSTERIES Magazine, Switzerland.


This entry was posted on Thursday, March 27th, 2008

Statue of Pharaonic queen discovered in south Egypt

LUXOR, Egypt (AFP) — Egyptian and European archeologists on Saturday announced they had discovered a giant statue of an ancient pharaonic queen on the spectacular south Egypt site of the Colossi of Memnon.

The statue represents Queen Tiy, the wife of 18th dynasty Pharaoh Amenhotep III, and stands 3.62 metres high (almost 12 feet).

It was discovered around the site of the massive Colossi of Memnon twin statues that command the road to Luxor’s famed Valley of the Kings.

Two sphinx representing Tiy and Amenhotep III as well as 10 statues in black granite of the lion-headed goddess Sekhmet, who protected the pharaohs, we also found by the archeologists and presented to reporters and senior officials.

Culture Minister Faruq Hosni hailed the discovery as a “formidable” entreprise and told reporters he expected the statues to be erected for public view next year.

They will be joined by two 15-metre-high (50 feet) statues, excavated in recent years, which will be placed 100 metre (yards) behind the Colossi of Memnon as part of an “open air museum.”

“Once these new colossi and the other new discoveries are put in place… this site will become one of the most important open air museums of the pharaonic period,” the head of the archeological team Hourig Sourouzian said.

The Colossi of Memnom are massive quartzite sandstone statues, some 20 metres high, which used to guard a temple dedicated to Amenhotep III that was destroyed in a devastating earthquake in the 1st century AD.

Over the centuries the rising waters of the Nile River inundated the rest of the site.

Archeologists hope to rehabilitate the site within five years.

Considering this site was thought to be empty the amount of finds they are making is wonderful. You can see loads of working going on as you walk along the raod from the colossus to the ticket office.

This entry was posted on Sunday, March 23rd, 2008

Latest Update from KV63

20 MARCH 2008

By now…. many of you may have noticed the absence of regular updates from me concerning our 2008 season at KV-63.

In January, with my departure to Egypt imminent, I elected to keep a routine doctors visit and was surprised to discover I needed emergency abdominal surgery to alleviate some chronic intestinal bleeding. Now post surgery…I should hasten to add that I feel much better.

However, factoring in the required six weeks of recovery time and the evaluation of some new medication it was necessary to [again] revise my departure date for early March. Until a few days ago there was still a faint glimmer of hope that we might salvage a shortened season for March-April. Unfortunately, Murphy’s Law intervened, as there has been considerable delay in obtaining my medicine that prevents the recurrent bleeding. Therefore, with great reluctance, it is again necessary for me to postpone our 2008 season.

It is too early to give exact dates, but we are considering a season running from late 2008 through early 2009. Specific work dates will be made available on the website as we finalize our plans. During the remainder of 2008 we will strive to increase our treasury as the cost and amount of materials needed for the pending seasons is considerable.

Many close friends, colleagues, and KV-63 staff members have remained quiet about my surgery out of respect for my privacy. Therefore, I appreciate everyone’s kindness, understanding and sincere patience during this problematic period. A ‘special’ thank you to Dr. Zahi Hawass and the SCA as they have been most understanding and sympathetic to the difficulties encountered in the quest to resume our work in the King’s Valley.

Mudir Otto Schaden

This entry was posted on Friday, March 21st, 2008

www.dendara.net

I was told by Ibrahim Soliman that Dr Sylvie Cauville had given free access to publications of Dendara on this website. My internet connection is far to slow to get a download so anyone that does and can give any feedback would be my friend for life

Edited - Ann from Belgium turned out to be that friend. Here are her comments

I had a look at the Dendara-website and I can easily believe that your internet connection is too slow.
There are in fact 3 gigantic papers to be downloaded.
The first (of 25 MB) is in fact exactly 414 pages. I opened it and had a look. It is in a very precise study (in French) of what you can see in the Dendera temple. It starts with a portico and every single hieroglyph is carefully copied. Here and there are some explanations given.
I do think that this is a very valuable book for an Egyptology student visiting Dendera in the future.

Didn’t look at the 2 other papers (the 2nd being 44MB, the third “only” 19).


This entry was posted on Thursday, February 28th, 2008

Alec Anthon 22/7/1925 – 22/2/2008

Thank you all so much for the lovely comments I got about the piece on my Dad. He actually died yesterday so forgive the lack of blog entries etc for a bit. Well this is my blog so I will do what I like it is not Luxornews but it is my news so farewell Dad

1945 Uncle Barry, Dad, Grandma, Grandad

My Dad, I was always so proud of him, of his languages mainly and his larger than life personality as well. My Dad was someone else; when I was a teenager it was my Dad we used to phone to pick us up when we missed the last train. It was my Dad that told my mum those were “herbal cigarettes” all those years ago. He was so proud of me too.

And I am so glad he had something to be proud of. In his last few weeks he saw me appear in the Daily Telegraph being recommended for my guiding in Egypt. And it was his mother that had originally got me interested. Before he died and whilst we could still talk together I thanked him for bringing me up so cosmopolitan that I could take on marriage to an Arab. Most girls who bring home an exotic and foreign boyfriend have a father who would be horrified. My Dad just wanted to practise his languages.

I got him to help me with some special cards: one was thank you in all his languages the other was I love you, it was so typical of my Dad that he knew more I love you’s than thank you’s. 28, sometimes when I tell people they think I am joking but it was true. He even taught languages, in fact he taught Russian to a Russian. A man living in the UK was losing his Russian and came to my Dad for language lessons. Dad was a Fellow of the Institute of Linguists. The first languages he learnt were from his Dad, Swahili and Afrikaans, the last he was still learning. Japanese and Hungarian. Just a couple of years ago he did a GCSE in Latin.

1964 Hanover State Fair

He was also musical, I remember after church on Sundays he would practise on the organ. The Sunday lunch would be spoiling but he would be playing away on the organ. Standing next to him in church and being embarrassed how loud his voice was and how noticeable. Seeing him in opera, in drama. A larger than life character. You never forgot Alec Anthon.

1989 Marriage to Barbara

When he went to live at Forest View I helped Barbara, my step mum, clear his room. It was a very bitter sweet experience. So many memories of my childhood and my Anthon family. A unique and unusual family of whom I am inordinately proud.

In my home in Egypt I have two little amulets of Egyptian Gods, we are pretty sure that they are original. Dad bought them in 46 or 47 when he was in the army in Egypt. His mother lectured on Egypt. I have her notes. And now I live in Egypt. Dad never made it out to my life there but he saw the photos and he met my husband Mahmoud. I remember when we visited him in the UK he careful bought some halal meat so Mahmoud feel at home. The fact it was raw and there was nothing to cook with it was hysterical to us both. Muslim my husband might be but a carnivore he is not but he so much appreciated the thought.

I will always be so very proud that my Dad was unusual and eccentric. Thanks Dad for giving me my life and so many wonderful memories.

This entry was posted on Saturday, February 23rd, 2008

Press report: “Middle Kingdom burial is found in Luxor”

New tomb discovered
From EEF



http://www.guardians.net/hawass/discoveries/
middle_kingdom_burial_is_found_i.htm

“An intact 11th dynasty burial of a man called Iker has been unearthed
in the Dra Abul Naga area on Luxor’s west bank. (..) The burial was
found by a Spanish archaeological mission during routine excavation
work in the open courtyard of TT11, the tomb of Djehuty. ”

No info about this on the Proyecto Djehuty website, yet,
nor in any Spanish papers AFAICT.

This entry was posted on Friday, February 15th, 2008

The truth about new Gurna/Qurna

http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2008/883/feature.htm
Vindicating Qurna
Historic Qurna on the Theban necropolis is no more, but the reputation of its inhabitants as bandits and thieves lingers on and the site lacks attention, says Jill Kamil



The Supreme Council of Antiquities has achieved its goal. It has evicted what it regards as squatters (in fact 10,000 long- standing residents) from an area known as Sheikh Abdel-Qurna, one of Luxor’s most important archaeological sites, where they lived over and among the tombs of the nobles. Apart from a few of the most decorative and brightly-decorated mud-brick houses, most of the homes belonging to the people, known as Qurnawis, have been demolished.

Speaking on the occasion of the opening of the new community for the displaced residents in December 2006, Zahi Hawass, secretary-general of the SCA, expressed delight at their relocation and mentioned that the tombs could now be adequately protected. The foreign press picked up on this and justified the demolition of the houses by propagating a myth that the Qurnawis were thieves who traditionally pillaged artefacts to sell to tourists and who had done terrible damage to the tombs.

The accusation is not deserved, and Al-Ahram Weekly wants to set that record put straight. To quote Egyptologist Nicole Hanson, who said in a paper presented at the Egyptologists’ Electronic Forum some time ago, “Our Egyptological predecessors of the 19th century were just as involved in this trade (i.e. the pillaging of monuments) as the Qurnawis.”

Hanson spoke with passion. She pointed out that the negative perception of the Luxor west bank population was an outcome of European and Egyptology-induced labour relations, and that “Qurnawi incorporation into a global system includes the international demand for antiquities, the vagaries of economic downturns, and the steady stream of archaeologically- focussed foreign tourists largely ignorant about contemporary Egyptians.” She claimed that racist remarks about the Qurnawis were hypocritical and should be ended, and added that the label “west bank bandits” was an attribution contradicted by historical and anthropological research. On the contrary, recent studies of unexcavated tombs in Qurna revealed that some were inhabited by local craft producers making of fake antiquities for tourists through to the 1990s.

Hanson indicated that, with each generation of archaeologists, methods and technology had emerged that made it possible to recover more and more information about the past. That methodology and technology, however, did not exist in theory or in practice in the 19th century. Champollion himself was involved in illicit antiquity dealings with the residents of Qurna while was working on ‘Belzoni’s Tomb. “If such things happened today, yes we might be right to criticise it because now we practise archaeology in a totally different way,” Hanson said,

Qurnawis have lived among the tombs of the nobles for some 200 years, not for the purpose of pillaging the tombs but to provide a service to late 18th and early 19th-century Egyptologists, who employed them to excavate the tombs of the nobles. These, unlike the royal tombs which were burial places, were for loyal and trusted subordinates: the Pharaoh’s chief vizier, treasurer, or keeper of the vineyards, and were funerary rooms and burial chambers combined. Decorated with scenes of everyday life, they shed a flood of light on life and times in the New Kingdom in 1567-1320 BC.

With the help of the Qurnawis, the tomb of Nakht, scribe of the granaries under Thutmose IV, was released from the encroaching sand. They also played a part in the uncovering of the tomb of Userhet, royal scribe in the reign of Amenhotep II, and the even more famous tombs of Rekhmire, an outstanding vizier in the reign of Thutmose III, Sennufer, overseer of the gardens of Amun under Amenhotep II, and Menna, which has some of the most beautiful representations to be found of harvest, feasts and hobbies.

If the workmen from these tombs settled in Qurna, close on the heels of archaeological excavation came tourists in search of culture and souvenirs — real or fake. To cater to demand the Qurnawis started to produce forgeries — or fakes if you like, because these “antikas” so closely resembled the original that it was sometimes difficult to tell the difference. They frequently set up temporary workshops in undecorated tombs to produce them, which accounts for the fact that fakes have sometimes been found in an archaeological setting, much to the confusion of scholars.

John Gardner Wilkinson and other early Egyptologists described art and craft production on the Theban necropolis on sale to tourists, and let it be added that Egyptologists themselves were not averse to filling their museums in Europe with sections of decorated walls.

Back in the 18th century Charles Sonnini, the first visitor to the necropolis to make reference to ” banditti ” residing in Qurna, yet acknowledged that in their antiquities’ dealings with him they displayed “as much integrity and fairness as if they had been the most honest people in the world”. He remarked, however, on the desolation of the place and the poor living standards of the people, adding incidentally that he was in no personal danger. Sonnini, and others like him, branded the Qurnawis as thieves and robbers for no other reason than that they were poor and looked forbidding. Unfortunately this reputation clung to them and was repeated by Europeans ad nauseam until it caught on with Egyptians. These are racist remarks, and they are also hypocritical. As Hanson remarked, “Our Egyptological predecessors of the 19th century were just as involved in this trade, but at the other end. If the Qurnawis were ‘bandits’ then we need to call the Egyptologists of those days the ‘kingpins’ for whom the Qurnawis did the dirty work.”

When the bureau of the World Heritage Committee met back in August 2001 to consider reports from a mission to Qurna, it recommended that the Egyptian authorities freeze the ongoing “unplanned demolition” of houses at the village of Qurna and requested technical assistance from the World Heritage Fund to prepare a management plan for the site. This stressed the need to reduce the population of the village of Qurna, ensure a decent standard of life to residents who wished to stay on as official wardens of the site, and “enhance and protect the traditional character of the urban environment from the present chaotic development.” The bureau furthermore recommended the preparation of a plan to determine archaeological areas of Qurna which should be explored and protected, and study the conditions required to allow some residents to continue living in that part of the village where houses were allowed to remain.

It cannot be sure how carefully these recommendations were followed. What is on record is that six years later the Luxor authorities ordered the demolition of all the mud brick houses in the village. “In just five minutes,” it was reported by Agence France Presse on 3 December 2006, “under the deafening roar of bulldozer engines, three long- abandoned houses were the first to go…” It was a stage-managed affair that included a fashion show of children who paraded in ancient Egyptian costumes to the beat of drums. Suited government officials were on hand to give enthusiastic speeches in front of the television cameras.

Some “3,500 families will leave for a better life. It’s the most important resettlement operation since the rescue of Abu Simbel in Nubia some 40 years ago,” announced Luxor’s governor Samir Farag, while Hassan Amer, an Egyptologist and Cairo University professor who was born in a village south of Qurna, was not so optimistic. “They will turn Qurna into a city of the dead without caring much for the living and their history,” he said.

The residents of Qurna have resisted interference for more than half a century, and despite all efforts to move them they have refused to budge. “They turned up their noses when different destinations were offered,” government officials noted, accusing them of resisting eviction because they wanted to remain on site in order to continue to pillage the tombs. In fact, what has not been understood, or ever acknowledged, is that Qurnawis are of Arab stock, not fellahin who are tillers of the soil. When Hassan Fathy’s “ideal village” was built for them on the floodplain, they refused to live in it because it was on agricultural land, not at the edge of the desert where they felt they rightfully belonged.

New Qurna is located at the edge of the desert, but the relocated villagers are now far from the steady flow of tourists from whom they have traditionally made a living. They are, in fact, as much a part of the urban fabric of the Theban necropolis as the tombs they once excavated. So strange that even the few Qurnawis who have been allowed to remain on in their brightly painted houses to cater to the tourist tourists are still not able to shake off the lingering, unjustified reputation as grave robbers and thieves — and neither, by the way, have those who have been forcefully settled further north. “It is time that we accept the state of the antiquities trade in the 19th century for what it was — a very early form of archaeology”, Hanson said.

The Weekly heartily agrees. Let us put an end to those said stories that are still perpetrated by official guides, and in guide-books, and accept that the Qurnawis form part of a larger and more complicated picture.

As for the site of Qurna itself, there is no sign of the official wardens recommended by the World Heritage Committee. No apparent steps have been taken to “enhance and protect the traditional character of the urban environment”. And as for “the preparation of a plan to determine archaeological areas which should be explored and protected,” … well, not even the rubble from the demolished houses has been cleared from historical Qurna.

Editted, got the following comment

I would appreciate it if you would make some corrections to the above article. My name is spelled Hansen not Hanson and it was not me who said “”Qurnawi incorporation into a global system includes the international demand for antiquities, the vagaries of economic downturns, and the steady stream of archaeologically- focussed foreign tourists largely ignorant about contemporary Egyptians” but rather Kees van der Spek who said that. A friend was complaining to me two weeks ago about how Jill Kamil had a tendency to be careless with facts even when encouraged to check them but I never expected to experience it myself so soon!

contact@glyphdoctors.com


This entry was posted on Monday, February 11th, 2008

Christine el Mahdy

Received an email from Michael Eastwood

I’ve just heard that Christine died yesterday. She was one of the very best tutor’s. Her book on Tutankhamun was one of the best written about any Pharaoh.
I only found out by chance that she had died when I emailed the Taunton Egyptology Society to enquire as to how she was doing (she had been very ill for some time).
Maybe you could mention her death on your blog. I’m sure that a lot of people like me would really like to know.

This entry was posted on Friday, February 8th, 2008

Flats in Luxor mentioned in the Daily Telegraph

Nice mention by one of guests Drusilla Beyfus http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/main.jhtml?xml=/travel/2008/02/07/sm_activitynile.xml&DCMP=ILC-traffdrv07053100

A subsequent visit with Jane Akshar, an independent tour guide, took me into the smaller, off-the-beaten-track but none the less fascinating tombs of Ay in the western Valley of the Kings followed by the tombs of the nobles Roy and Shu Roy. They were wonderfully free of people like us.

This entry was posted on Thursday, February 7th, 2008

Toutankhamon Magazine is available, #37.

bonjour

Since a few days, the new issue of Toutankhamon Magazine is available, #37.

Contents of this issue [NB: articles are in French] include :
- Egyptian prehistoric : special article about Qurta and El-Hosh, with long interview of Dirk Huyge
- Golden chapels of Toutankhamon : the enigmatic texts
- Hatshepsut
- funerary rituals
- the image on Ancient egypt (article of Benoit Lurson)
- Punt revealed ! The news discoverries about Punt and his localisation !
- Nefertari : her tomb, her life, her monuments, with explanation about her beautiful tomb (with some photos)

and also in our web site :
- podcasts and forum
www.toutankhamon-magazine.com

next issue : end of march 2008

best regards,

francois tonic
redactor in chief

This entry was posted on Wednesday, February 6th, 2008

TT71 Senemut

Yes I made it up there. OK they got a taxi to take me way up the mountain, past the tomb of Menna and Mohammed Ismail and Michael Campbell-Smith dragged me up bits. Mohammed pulling and Michael pushing but I made it and it was worth it.

The views up there were fantastic.Firstly I had no idea how big it was and how much other stuff is up there.  This photo is looking up to the tomb top left and below bottom right is the hole that lead to his parents tomb.

It is T shaped and size wise is not dissimilar to Rekhmire and the remaining colour is superb. One wonders what it must have looked like. Visiting it makes the theory of Francisco Martin Valentine that TT 353 is a cenotaph even more convincing. There is no way with a huge imposing tomb like this, overlooking Karnak and Deir el Bahri that you would swap it for a tiny place like TT353. That obviously has some secret and special purpose, nothing to do with the actual burial.

 

There were a number of places on the walls where glyphs had been carved in a steele arrangement and subsequently damage, presumably removing Senenmut’s name. Others had been left like this one.

Lots of colour high up on the ceiling, really vivid and also in a little room to the side.



Around it there are carvings in the rock, one is a block statue of Senemut holding Neferrere and another is the figures of a man and women who is supposed to be Hatshepsut and Senenmut but we were not sure. Does anyone have any more information on these? (Found out later it was his brother Senemen).

 

We actually climbed right to the top to the tomb of Sheik Abu Gurna which reminded me a lot of the tombs in Abu Hagag. The views are spectacular showing you all of the Assasif and Gurna as well as the temple of Mentuhotep and Hatshepsut. I had never seen them from that angle.So my legs are aching and I doubt I will climb there again but I have done it.

Edited I received an email from Dr Karl H Leser giving me the link to his website www.maat-ka-ra.de  . It has loads and loads of answers to the questions and is totally fascinating. In both German and English..

This entry was posted on Wednesday, February 6th, 2008