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Colossus discovery highlights difficulties of preserving Egypt’s heritage

Without the proper funds and equipment to excavate its archaeological discoveries, Egypt risks losing monumental finds to exploitation.
Egyptian workers stand as a statue that might be of revered Pharaoh Ramses II, who ruled Egypt over 3,000 years ago, is raised, at the Matariya area in Cairo, Egypt, March 13, 2017. REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany - RTX30SBP

As a recently discovered pharaonic statue was being pulled out of groundwater in the Cairo slum of Matariya, children gathered around, chanting, “There is nobody like Ramses II!” Egyptians have always been proud of their ancient heritage, but such heritage is neither being handled correctly nor being put to good use to attract much-needed tourists.

In between the announcement of the discovery and the housing of the massive statue at the Egyptian museum is a process replete with flaws.

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