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.
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.
On March 10, authorities were quick to shout about “one of the most important recent discoveries”: a 9-meter, 7-ton quartzite statue believed to depict King Ramses II. Not only was its grand significance brushed off, but the rush to attract international attention led to false information: The statue turned out to be that of King Psamtek I.
“Discoveries are being made in Egypt every day; I think that labeling it as 'one of the more important recent discoveries' may be a bit of hype,” said Amy Wilson, archaeologist and adjunct professor of history at the State University of New York at Cobleskill. A monumental building complex was discovered by a German-Egyptian expedition in Qantir in February. Two other discoveries followed the week after the statue was unearthed: the first an unopened 4,000-year-old tomb in Aswan, and the second an alabaster statue of Tutankhamun’s grandmother in Luxor.
