EGYPTOLOGY WORLD

News & Gossip

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Sept.,2003

Manfred Bietak:
Israelites Found in Egypt
Four-Room House Identified in Medinet Habu

"Reed huts more than 3,000 years old belonging to workers—perhaps slaves—and with the same floor plan as ancient Israelite four-room houses have been identified at Medinet Habu, opposite Luxor in Egypt. These reed huts may represent extra-Biblical evidence of Israel in Egypt."

Biblical Archaeology Review

September 02 , 2003

Hawass answers the British press

"Secretary-General of the Supreme Council for Antiquities Zahi Hawas was the target of a fierce campaign by the British newspapers especially London Times and the Independent following his decision on preventing the British archaeologist Juan Flatcher from completing her work in Egypt."

Hawass defends himself

Sept. 1, 2003

Statue of "Tut's Sister" Found in Private Collection Reports Manchesternews

But in this exclusive, Angela Thomas Keeper of Egyptology & Archaeology at Bolton, gave this statement to Egyptology World News.

"It is very easy for things to be mis-reported. I did not say that this was Tutankhamun's sister. The sculpture is the torso of a princess, one of the daughters of King Akhenaten and his chief queen, Nefertiti. There may be some family connection with Tutankhamun, aside from the fact that he married Nefertiti's third daughter, but there is no clear evidence or proof of this, although there has been plenty of speculation in a variety of books."

Aug 30, 2003
Nefertiti Mummy A Man?
"I'm sure that this mummy is not a female," Hawass tells Reuters from his office in the Egyptian capital.

Aug 19, 2003
Nefertiti Discovery
Old News!

Joann Fletcher was not the first to link the celebrated mummy from KV 35 to Nefertiti as claimed on the Discovery Channel. Marianne Luban had already advocated for this identification in her
1999 article:

DO WE HAVE THE MUMMY OF NEFERTITI?

It would appear that neither the fact checkers at the Discovery Channel nor Joann Fletcher have done their homework.

Aug 23, 2003

KMT editor Dennis Forbes weighs in on recent controversies:

Nefertiti in Berlin
Egypt's Reaction
Joann Fletcher

From KMT Fall 2003

August 15, 2003
Hawass Slams Misinformation on the Rosetta Stone, Nefertiti's Mummy and the Wildung Scandal.

Cairo.
Al-Ahram reports that Zahi Hawass is denying stories he demanded the return of the Rosetta Stone from the British Museum, merely that he wanted it as a loan for the Egyptian Museum in Cairo.

Hawass also clarifies why authorities have prohibited German Egyptologist Dieter Wildung from working in Egypt: "Wildung's permit was revoked because the Egyptian authorities have incontrovertible evidence that he was involved in the illegal trafficking and buying of antiquities. The proof is a taped conversation between antiquities thieves; some of the Berlin Museum's artifacts stand witness to their guilt."

He also faults Egyptologist Joann Fletcher for not announcing her purported Nefertiti mummy discovery through normal channels (The SCA) and additionally casts doubt on her identification of the mummy.

The Complete story from
Al-Ahram

Aug 18, 2003
Nefertiti on Discovery Channel Provokes Contempt

Joann Fletcher's "discovery" of the mummy of Nefertiti broadcast on the Discovery Channel was met with universal disdain on Internet discussions.

In the famous Hall of Ma'at message board the criticisms came fast and furious as in
Nefertiti ?? ... Is that you??
where dozens voiced their contempt for what they had seen.