Love eternal? Egyptian dig hopes to uncover Cleopatra and Mark Antony side by side

The burial place of doomed lovers Cleopatra and Mark Antony has remained an enduring mystery, but new evidence suggests it could soon be laid to rest.
Archaeologists are to begin searching three new sites identified in a radar survey of a temple close to Alexandria for the tombs of the celebrated queen of Egypt and the Roman general.
Egypt's top archaeologist Zahi Hawass said the finds have raised hopes that the legendary couple will be found together in a system of tunnels beneath the temple of Tabusiris Magna.
The discovery would be even bigger than the uncovering of King Tutankhamun's tomb, which was found in 1922, according to Dr Hawass.

Elizabeth Taylor as Cleopatra and Richard Burton as her lover Mark Antony in the 1963 film of the Egyptian queen. It was during filming that the co-stars also became lovers

Egypt's top archaeologist Zahi Hawass, pictured, believes the find could be bigger than the uncovering of King Tutankhamun's tomb

The excavation is hoped to unravel a number of questions that have lingered over the couple, including whether they were buried together, her reputed beauty and their suicide.
Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities said that the three sites were identified last month during a radar survey of the temple close to Alexandria.
It is located on Lake Abusir, once known as Lake Mariut, near the northern coastal city and was built during the reign of King Ptolemy II from 282 to 246 BC.
Teams from Egypt and the Dominican Republic have been excavating the temple for the last three years.
They have already discovered a number of deep shafts inside the holy site, three of which were possibly used for burials.
The leaders of the excavation believe it's possible Cleopatra and Mark Anthony could have been buried in a deep shaft similar to those already found.
The couple are widely believed to have committed suicide after their defeat in the battle of Actium in 31 BC.
Kathleen Martinez, an Egyptologist involved in the dig, said that Roman records suggested that the lovers were then buried togethe

A headless statue discovered at the Tabusiris Magna temple where archaeologists hope to find the tomb

She added that the unearthing of ten mummies of nobles in the area has raised hopes that the lovers could be nearby.
But other experts are less convinced. John Baines, professor of Egyptology at the University of Oxford, said it is unlikely that Mark Anthony, who was an enemy, would have a burial place that would have stood the test of time.
Hopes of finding their tomb were raised with last year's discoveries at the site of: a bronze statue of the goddess Aphrodite; the alabaster head of a Queen Cleopatra statue; a mask believed to belong to Mark Anthony; and a headless statue from the Ptolemaic era at the excavation site.
The expedition also found 22 coins bearing Cleopatra's image.
Dr Hawass said the statue and coins - which show an attractive face - debunk a recent theory that the queen was 'quite ugly'.
'The finds from Tabusiris reflect a charm... and indicate that Cleopatra was in no way unattractive,' he said in a statement.
Academics at the University of Newcastle concluded in 2007 that the fabled queen was not especially attractive based on Cleopatra's depiction on a Roman denarius coin which shows her as a sharp-nosed, thin-lipped woman with a protruding chin.

The popular image of the lovers is of Cleopatra played by Elizabeth Taylor opposite Richard Burton in the 1963 Hollywood film of the Egyptian queen. It was during filming that the co-stars became lovers.

   

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From left to right: A bronze coin bearing a portrait of Queen Cleopatra, an alabaster head  thought to be Cleopatra's and a funerary mask of Mark Antony, all found in the temple of Tabusiris

The world's top ten museums

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Museums are the closest we will ever get to time travel. Only within the hallowed walls of a museum can we trace the history of a civilisation and have an idea of how it worked.
Every town and city throughout the world seems to document its past in some way or other, but several museums have become so famous that they are destinations in themselves attracting millions of visitors who flock from across the world to view their exhibits.
After much discussion, egypTraveluxe has selected our ultimate list of world-class museums that everyone should visit in their lifetime...

British Museum, London

Ancient translator: The Rosetta Stone is one of the museum's most prized possessions

Whether you agree or not with the museum keeping items collected by British explorers through the ages, the array of pieces on display at the British Museum certainly gives an all-encompassing history lesson. There is no other collection like it.  Ancient cultures from Latin America to Persia to Greece are brought to life in this eclectic space and some of the world's most important archaeological finds in the world attract visitors from far and wide. The Rosetta Stone, the Elgin Marbles and the Mummy of Katebet are some of the most popular attractions and constantly changing guest exhibitions keep visitors returning time and time again.  

Star attraction

The Rosetta Stone takes the top spot  if only for its importance in helping historians unlock the past through a greater understanding of hieroglyphic writing.

Entrance fee?

Entrance to the museum is free although there may be a small charge for special exhibitions.

Egyptian Museum, Cairo

The boy prince: Tutankhamun's treasures including his gold mask are on display at the Egyptian Museum

This enormous neo-classical building houses the greatest collection of Egyptian antiquities in the world. The fascination with Tutankhamen means many visitors head there simply to see the treasures buried with him including his famous gold mask.  But the museum is also packed with the intricate gold jewellery of past rulers and an extensive collection of religious sculptures. The funerary exhibition explains the beliefs and science behind the mummifying of bodies and the items placed in the tombs. The restored statues of the God Amuna and the Goddess Mut from Karnak, painstakingly put together by historians after they were found smashed, are also fascinating.

Star attraction

Tutankhamen's gold mask, one of the most famous symbols of ancient Egypt.

Entrance fee?

50 L.E (£2.20) for adults and 30 L.E (£1.10) for children

Capitoline Museums, Rome

Michelangelo's museum: The Capitoline Museum houses many great roman statues

The creation of the Capitoline Museums has been traced back to 1471, when Pope Sixtus IV donated a group of bronze statues of great symbolic value to the people of Rome. Its ancient roots make it the oldest existing public collection in the world. This is not the museum's only famous link, the spectacular Piazza del Campidoglio on top of the famous Capitoline Hill which hosts the archeological museums was designed by none other than Michelangelo Buonarroti. The collections house the best of the classic period of Roman civilisation with bronze and stone statues of religious scenes and rulers alongside jewels, coins and other artifacts. The excellent views over the forum and the pleasant little cafe make the Capitolone Museums a fantastic destination for any visitor to Rome.

Star attraction?

There are several star attractions including the original version of the equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius, the famous bronze statue of a she-wolf suckling Romulus and Remus and Bernini's Bust of Medusa.

Entrance fee?

Basic admission costs €6.50 (£5.60) with concessions costing €4.50 (£3.80)

Acropolis Museum, Athens

Star attraction: The newly-opened Acropolis Museum has received praise for its design and accessible content

The most modern museum to make it into the top ten, this museum opened in June in a futuristic construction at the foot of the Acropolis. The sleek, modern building houses some 4,000 exhibits in a time line formation making the understanding of Greek history more manageable. Light and airy, the building not only offers spellbinding views of the Acropolis itself but throughout the building glass panels reveal excavations of the ancient dwellings below. The top floor is a majestic setting for the Parthenon Marbles although replicas replace those that are currently housed in the British Museum. The Acropolis museum has already been critically acclaimed and, after three decades of trying, provides a fitting showcase for the wonders of Ancient Greece.

Star attraction

Head for the third floor where the Marbles are beautifully displayed and there are wonderful views of the Acropolis.

Entrance fee?

A general admission fee of €1 (85p) is being charged until 2010 when it will rise to €5 (£4.30)

American Museum of Natural History, New York

Life size: The replicas at the American Museum of Natural History are astounding

This four-floor building in New York's 'museum mile' is packed with 46 exhibition halls filled with habitat groups of land and sea animals from all over the world.  The spectacular collection is eclipsed only by the 94-foot-long blue whale model suspended in the Hall of Ocean Life and the Tyrannosaurus Rex made up entirely of real fossils. A huge variety of special exhibitions keeps the museum at the cutting edge of scientific research and encourages both child and adult visitors alike.  The 'History of Man' exhibition is ever popular and for its sheer ability to bring history to life the IMAX cinema is another enthralling part.  The area that has won most critical acclaim is the Rose Centre. One of New York's boldest landmarks this planetarium and space exhibition is not only a dramatic and powerful educational resource but a centre for world-class scientific research. 

Star attraction

The Hall of Human Origins offers the most comprehensive evidence of human evolution ever assembled and the Rose Centre is well worth a visit for its fascinating exhibition and its magnitude - it has ceilings higher than Grand Central Station.

Entrance fee?

Adults pay $16 (£9.80) and children $9 (£5.50)

National Museum of Anthropology, Mexico City

A date with history: The Aztec calendar stone is one of the most popular attractions at the National Anthropology Museum

Anyone confused by the multitude of ancient cultures present throughout Mexico's long history must make a trip to see the National Museum of Anthropology.  Split into 25 exhibition halls defined by cultural region this popular tourist attraction, built round an open patio, is considered one of the world's finest archeological museums.  The open design of the museum makes it a pleasure to walk around in contrast to the old-fashioned dark museums so often found in cities. The collection of carved stones, sculptures and storytelling friezes give an insight into the beliefs and practices of the ancient Maya, Aztecs, Zapotecs and all the other civilisations that existed pre-conquest. The Aztec Sun Stone, a 25-tonne intricately carved basalt slab describing Aztec life which was discovered buried under Mexico's main plaza is one of the main crowd pleasers. But a replica of the Aztec ruler Moctezuma's feathered headdress and a Mayan tomb of the 8th-century ruler, Pacal, are also unmissable sights. The Chapultepec Park where the museum is located is a beautiful setting and families can move on from the museum to explore a zoo, several lakes and an amusement park.

Star attraction

The Aztec Sun Stone is what most people come to see along with the Aztec Calendar, one of the most recognised images in Mexico.

Entrance fee?

MX$51 (£2.30) for adults and free for children, students and senior citizens.

Smithsonian Institute, Washington

Something for everyone: The Smithsonian Institute is a collection of 17 museums in Washington

The Smithsonian Institue is more than just a museum, it's the world's largest museum complex and research organisation composed of 17 museums and a national zoo in Washington with links to two more museums in New York.  The collection of museums is so vast that there is guaranteed to be something to attract every visitor whether it is the American Indian museum, Air and Space museum or the Anacostia Community museum with its roots in documenting the African-American culture.  The National Museum of American Hitsory guides the visitor through the history of science, technology, society and culture in America making it an ideal starting point for foreign visitors. With a circulator bus to help you get about between all the buildings and an imposing castle-like information centre, the complex is well equipped to deal with visitors hoping to see as much as possible during their visit.  If the heavy museums get too much the 163-acre zoo has more than 400 animal species.

Star attraction

With so many different museums it is difficult to choose one star attraction but the American History Museum gives a great overview up to Obama's inauguration.

Entrance fee?

Admission is free for all Smithsonian museums and the zoo in Washington D.C.

Australian Museum, Sydney

Steeped in history: Australia's oldest museum tells the story of how modern Australia came about

The oldest museum in Australia is built on the ruins of the house of the country's first governor-general, Governor Phillip. The original house was built in 1788 and exposed by archaeologists in the 1980s. Visitors can explore colonial and contemporary Sydney through the collection of  objects recovered from more than 25 archaeological digs along with pictures and panoramic views of the city from 1788 to today. These historic wonders sit alongside a fantastic natural history collection looking at insects, dinosaurs, minerals and birds. The current Surviving Australia exhibition, which  looks at the country's most deadly creatures is sure to be a crowd-pleaser among both adults and children.  

Star attraction

The Indigenous Australians exhibition is a eye-opening look at the history, culture and political struggles of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people - the oldest living culture in the world.

Entrance fee?

General admission is $12 for adults (£5.70) , $6 (£2.90) for a child.  A family ticket (two adults and two children) is $30 (£14.30).

Asian Civilisations Museum, Singapore

Colonial heritage: The old government building overlooking the Singapore River is now the Asian Civilisations Museum

The first museum in the region to present a broad perspective of pan-Asian cultures and civilisations, this museum is a must-see for any visitor to Singapore.  Located in the Empress Place building, which used to be a colonial government office, the museum offers spectacular views over the mouth of the Singapore River.  But visitors will forget about the views as they learn about the story of Asia through thousands of years' worth of artifacts from a Cambodian Khmer temple to Chinese ceramics and south Indian bronzes. The Singapore River gallery gives an insight into this important natural resource which gave Singapore its power and wealth as an international trade centre.

Star attraction

A collection of white Dehua porcelain also known as 'blanc de chine'.  These finely moulded pieces from the Ming and Qing periods were produced in Fujian province and are displayed in the China gallery.
Entrance fee?

Adult admission is $5 (£2) and concessions pay $2.50 (£1).

The National Museum of Syria, Damascus

Treasure trove: Roman, Byzantine and Arab Islamic collections sit side by side in the museum

For the sheer volume of artifacts displayed, Syria's national museum deserves a place in the top ten. Located in the oldest continually inhabited city in the world the museum certainly equals its surroundings with its two wings hosting Arab Islamic, Classical and Byzantine collections.  Many of the most important finds from excavations throughout Syria are on display here and the collection begins even before you enter. The facade of the building incorporates the transplanted gateway of Qasr al-Heir al Gharbi, a desert castle near Palmyra. Visitors can see clay tablets of the oldest alphabet in the world, the Ugaritic Alphabet and ivory, bronze and marble classical statues found at the many archeological sites throughout the country.

Star attraction

By far the most popular part of the museum is the reconstructed 2nd-century AD Synagogue, with walls that are covered with Talmudic laws and scenes from the scriptures.

Entrance fee?

According to the Syrian Embassy, entrance to the museum is free.

'Indiana Jones' of Egyptian archaeology demands Rosetta Stone from British Museum

http://www.egyptraveluxe.com/egypt_budget_tour.phpNow, Zahi Hawass, the 'Indiana Jones' of Egyptian archaeology, has his sights set on the most glittering prize of all - the Rosetta Stone.
Dr Hawass has demanded that Britain return the 2,200-year-old stone tablet to its homeland.

Archaeological treasure: Zahi Hawass has demanded that Britain return the 2,200-year-old Rosetta Stone to its homeland of Egypt

Arriving in Britain to publicise his quest, he declared that a loan would not be good enough.  Instead, the Rosetta Stone, which has resided in the British Museum since 1802, must be handed over on a permanent basis.
The Museum, however, is standing its ground, declaring its collections should not be broken up and it is the legal owner of the stone.
The stone, which dates back to 196BC, was discovered in Egypt by Napoleon's French forces in 1799 and seized from them by the British two years alter.
Its value lies in its inscriptions, which in three different languages - Ancient Greek, heirogylphic and Demotic, an ancient Egyptian script - provided scholars with the key to deciphering ancient hieroglyphs and unlocking many of the secrets of the pharaohs.

Indiana Jones: Dr Hawass, who wears a trademark stetson, is head of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities

Dr Hawass, who like Indiana Jones wears a trademark stetson, is secretary general of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities, making him responsible for the conservation and protection of all archaeological finds.
He regularly features on TV documentaries, has written 16 books, and it is said, likes to tease friend Omar Sharif, that his by far the better known as the two men.
As part of his conservation duties, he has drawn up a 'shopping list' of artifacts 'stolen' from Egypt by colonial powers and claims to have already secured the return of several thousand.
Bolstered by France's agreement to return some fresco fragments earlier this year, he has renewed a campaign, first launched six years ago, for the return of the Rosetta Stone.
Earlier this week, it appeared he would be pacified with temporary custody.
But today he claimed that he didn't not like the 'tone' of the British Museum's response and he wants the stone back for good.
He said: 'When I said I want to have it on a short-term loan, the British Museum wrote a letter to say that they need to know the security of the museum that will host the stone.
'They know that this museum is going to be the largest museum in the world, the security will be perfect.'

Secrets of the pharaohs: The stone is inscribed with Ancient Greek, heirogylphic and Demotic scripts, and provided the key to deciphering ancient hieroglyphs

Responding to suggestions that Egypt would be tempted to return the treasure if given it on loan, he said: 'We are not the Pirates of the Caribbean.
'We are a civilised country.  If I sign a contract with the British museum, (we) will return it.'
He has also accused the British Museum of not looking after the treasure properly, saying: 'They kept it in a dark, baldy lit room until I came and requested it.  Suddenly, it became important to them.'

Custody: The stone, which resides in the British Museum, was discovered in Egypt by Napoleon's forces in 1799 and seized by the British two years later

The Museum, however, is well-practised in fending off such requests.
It has long refused Greek treatise to return the Elgin Marbles to Athens, and has retained ownership of dozens of 'Lewis Chessman' - elaborately carved chess figures discovered on Scotland's Outer Hebrides in the early 19th century despite calls for them to be returned to Scotland.
Roy Clare, head of the government-funded Museums, Libraries and Archives Council, said the stone must stay in London.
He told BBC Radio4's Today programme: 'This icon is an icon globally.
'An object inherits additional culture through its acquisition.'

Catacomb of secret tunnels packed with mummified remains of EIGHT MILLION dogs is excavated in Egypt

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• Many of the animals were offered to the gods when they were just hours old

A labyrinth of sacred tunnels packed with the mummified remains of millions of dogs has been excavated under the Egyptian desert.
The catacombs are estimated to contain the remains up to eight million dogs, many of which would have been offered to the gods when they were just hours old.
Others would have been treated as living representatives of the dog or jackal-headed god Anubis and would have lived out their lives in the nearby temple before being preserved and laid to rest in the network of tunnels.

Remains: One of eight million dogs archaeologists believe are buried in a labyrinth of sacred tunnels under the Egyptian desert

Egyptologist Hendrikje Nouwens examines a dog buried in a special wall niche - the remains of the wooden coffin can be seen. Many of the dogs would have been offered to the gods when they were just hours old

Many dogs would have been treated as living representatives of jackal-headed god Anubis

The fascinating details come from Cardiff University scientists, who along with Egyptian colleagues are the first to examine the structure and contents of the complex underground network built 2,500 years ago under the Saqqara desert.
The catacomb, which lies ten to 12metres underground, consists of a long central corridor and a series of smaller passages that branch off it.
Sampling of small areas and bone examination of their contents suggest that the entire network is home to eight million dogs, as well as a handful of cats and jackals.
Some of the dogs were killed and mummified just days or even hours after birth.
With the need to mummify so many animals, perhaps thousands per year, it is likely the animals were bred in puppy farms dotted around the ancient capital of Memphis.
Pilgrims, who were not necessarily particularly well-off, bought the dogs, then paid for them to be mummified, in the hope of currying favour with the canine-headed god, Anubis.
As one of the most important gods of the dead, Anubis was particularly worth pleasing.
Dr Paul Nicholson, of Cardiff University’s School of History, Archaeology and Religion, said: ‘These animals were not strictly “sacrificial”.
‘Rather, the dedication of an animal mummy was regarded as a pious act, with the animal acting as an intermediary between the donor and the gods.’
The excavation, which was funded by National Geographic, also revealed that some dogs were interred individually, in niches in the tunnel walls.

It is thought the animals afforded this sort of burial lived in the temples where they were treated as living embodiments of Anubis.
While Dr Nicholson’s team are the first to examine the tunnels in detail, they are not the first to discover them, with geological work pointing to the tunnels being raided in the 1900s.

Professor Salima Ikram examines one set of remains. The entire network of catacombs is also home to a handful of cats and jackals

Maze of tunnels: The excavation also revealed that some dogs were interred individually in the tunnel walls

It is thought that a small tunnel was built to remove animal mummies which were then likely ground up and sold as fertiliser.
Dr Nicholson told the Daily Mail: ‘There are newspaper reports of boatloads of cat mummies being brought into Liverpool for use as fertiliser and it is likely some of the dog mummies went the same way - although not necessarily to Liverpool.’
The dog catacomb is the larger of two in the area. The Saqqara desert also contains catacombs dedicated to bulls, cows, baboons, ibises, hawks and cats.
It is thought the practice died out after the Romans conquered Egypt in 30BC.

Hidden mysteries: Cardiff University scientists and their Egyptian colleagues are the first to examine the structure and contents of the complex underground network built 2,500 years ago under the Saqqara desert

Read more:

Proof heart disease is an ancient problem: Autopsy finds 3,500-year-old Egyptian princess had clogged arteries

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• 44 out of 52 mummies examined had clogged arteries

An Egyptian princess who lived more than 3,500 years ago is the oldest known person to have had clogged arteries, dispelling the myth that heart disease is a product of modern society, a new study says.
To determine how common heart disease was in ancient Egypt, scientists performed computer scans on 52 mummies in Cairo and the United States.
Among those that still had heart tissue, 44 had chunks of calcium stuck to their arteries - indicating clogging.

Gruesome: The mummy of Maiherpri, from 1550-1295 BC, is prepared for examination at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo - one of 52 mummies to be examined

'Atherosclerosis clearly existed more than 3,000 years ago,' said Adel Allam, a cardiology professor at Al Azhar University in Cairo, who led the study with Gregory Thomas, director of nuclear cardiology education at the University of California in Irvine. 'We cannot blame this disease on modern civilization.'

The research was presented on Tuesday at a conference on heart imaging in Amsterdam.
Allam and colleagues found the Egyptian princess Ahmose-Meryet-Amon, who lived in Thebes (now Luxor) between 1540 and 1550 B.C., had calcium deposits in two main coronary arteries, making her the oldest mummy found with heart disease.

Egyptologist Dr Ibrahem Badr prepares a mummy for scanning. Of the 52 mummies which still had heart tissue 44 had chunks of calcium stuck to their arteries - indicating clogging

The princess' father and brother were both pharaohs. The mummy had pierced ears and a large incision in her left side made by embalmers to remove her internal organs.
Allam doubted she would have received much treatment beyond maybe taking special herbs or honey.
'If she were my patient today, she would get open heart surgery,' he said. He added the princess' clogged arteries looked remarkably similar to heart disease in contemporary Egyptians.
The 43 younger mummies with calcium deposits showed a range of heart and artery problems.

The sarcophagus containing the mummy Isis. Experts say that beef, pork, mutton, antelope, duck and other meats were readily available in the royal courts

Experts say that during the princess' lifetime, beef, pork, mutton, antelope, duck and other meats were readily available in the royal courts.
Egyptians didn't eat much fish but ate many different kinds of fruits and vegetables. Salt was also likely used to preserve their food.
Joep Perk, a professor of health sciences at Linnaeus University in Sweden and a spokesman for the European Society of Cardiology, said the heart disease discovered in the mummies was probably due to the rich diet and lack of exercise among the Egyptian elite. He was not linked to the mummy research.

Princess Ahmose-Meryet-Amon lived in Luxor, pictured, between 1540 and 1550 B.C. She had calcium deposits in two main coronary arteries

'The pharaohs and other royalty probably had more fat in their diet than the average Egyptian,' he said. 'The sculptures and hieroglyphs may show people who were very thin and beautiful, but the reality may have been different.'
He added there may have been other factors, like the stress of holding onto power and genetic factors that could have made the Egyptian ruling class more susceptible to heart disease.
He said Egyptian royals were more likely to be killed by heart problems after surviving other infections that would have killed poorer Egyptians. 'They simply had the good luck to live long enough to develop heart disease.'

Egypt's lost pyramids: Spied from space by satellite, 17 tombs buried by sands of time

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• More than 1,000 tombs and 3,000 ancient settlements found


• Findings are a major boost to relatively new science of space archaeology

Indiana Jones found success with little more than a bullwhip and a fedora. These days however, if you want to make your mark as an archaeologist, a bit of space technology works wonders.
Satellites have helped locate 17 pyramids and 3,000 ancient settlements hidden underground in Egypt.
More than 1,000 burial sites were also discovered thanks to infra-red technology capable of probing beneath the desert sands from 450 miles above the Earth.

Pyramid of Djoser: Many more are thought to be buried underground. The cameras on the satellites are so powerful that they can precisely image objects on Earth that are less than one metre in diameter

Astounded researchers on the ground have already confirmed that two of the pyramids exist - and they believe there are thousands more unknown sites in the region.
NASA-funded archaeologist Sarah Parcak said: ‘I couldn’t believe we could locate so many sites. To excavate a pyramid is the dream of every archaeologist.’
The finds are hugely significant. Until the latest discoveries there were thought to have been almost 140 pyramids across Egypt.
But experts have long argued that there must be many more that remain undiscovered, buried by the sands of time. Dr Parcak, from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, analysed images from satellites equipped with cameras so powerful they can zoom in on objects less than three feet in diameter on the Earth’s surface.

The amazing satellite images have revealed pyramids and ancient homes

Ancient streetmap: A satellite image shows Tanis to be a city littered with underground tombs. Buildings in ancient Egypt were constructed out of mud brick - the material is dense, allowing satellites orbiting above Earth to photograph the outlines of structures invisible to the human eye

Hidden history: This image of Tanis shows the difference between what the naked eye can see and the underground details that the high-powered satellite camera can pick up

THE LOST ARK IN A LOST CITY?

In Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark, Tanis is named as the final resting place of the Ark of the Covenant.
The film chronicles the archaeologist adventurer's race against the Nazis to recover the Ark - which they want as they believe it will make them invincible.

With the help of his dead mentor's daughter Marion - an old girlfriend of his - tracks down the Well of Souls, the secret chamber in which the Ark is buried, before they do.

From the Well of Souls he recovers the Ark, but the Nazis steal it off them.

But when they open it to unleash its power, it releases a stream of demonic apparitions which destroy those who look at them.

Dr Parcak told the BBC: 'I could see the data as it was emerging, but for me the "a-ha" moment was when I could step back and look at everything that we'd found.'
The mud bricks used by ancient Egyptians are much denser than the sand and soil that surrounds them, allowing the shapes of homes, temples, tombs and other structures built thousands of years ago to be seen by satellites orbiting 435miles above Earth to photograph the outlines of structures invisible to the human eye.

 

The cameras on the satellites are so powerful that they can precisely image objects on Earth that are less than one metre in diameter.
The researchers' findings are a major boost to the relatively new science of space archaeology.
Their most promising excavations are taking place in Tanis, the hiding place of the Ark of the Covenant in the 1981 Indiana Jones blockbuster Raiders of the Lost Ark, where they are uncovering a 3,000-year-old house.
Excitingly, the outline of the house exactly matches the shape seen on the satellite images.
Two pyramids at Saqqara – the burial ground for the ancient capital of Memphis – have already been confirmed by excavations and the site is being hailed as one of the most important in Egyptian archaeology. The oldest pyramids ever discovered were built in Saqqara around 2,600BC.

Only the beginning: Archaeologist Dr Sarah Parcak points out the site of a buried pyramid on a satellite image

The camera's high level of accuracy has impressed the Egyptian government, which now plans to use the technology to identify and protect its colossal heritage in the future.
Dr Parcak, whose work will feature in the BBC documentary Egypt’s Lost Cities on Monday, believes that there are many more buildings buried deeper than those already spotted, the most likely location being under the banks of the River Nile.
She said: 'These are just the sites close to the surface. There are many thousands of additional sites that the Nile has covered over with silt.
'This is just the beginning of this kind of work.'

Digging deep: The archaeologists' most promising excavations are taking place in the ancient city of Tanis

She told the BBC: ‘It just shows us how easy it is to underestimate both the size and scale of past human settlements.

‘These are just the

sites [close to] the surface. There are many thousands of additional sites that the Nile has covered over with silt. This is just the beginning of this kind of work.’
She said the technology could be used to monitor the looting of antiquities, as well as to engage young people around the world in science and help archaeologists in their quest to uncover the secrets of the past.

The archaeologist said, ‘We have to think bigger and that’s what the satellites allow us to do. Indiana Jones is old school. We’ve moved on from Indy, sorry Harrison Ford.’
• A hidden chamber unseen for 4,500 years may have been discovered inside the Great Pyramid of Giza. A robotic probe designed by British engineers found hieroglyphs inside a tunnel that leads from the pyramid’s Queen’s chamber, New Scientist magazine reports. Cameras have also sent back images of a stone door which it is thought could lead to a hidden chamber.

 

Modern living getting you down? Don't worry, the ancient Egyptians suffered just as much air pollution as we do today

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 Environmentalists may have something to say about it, but an expert looking into the health of ancient Egyptians has found that they may have suffered the same levels of damaging air pollution than we do now.
Obviously, the ancient air pollution was not generated by the same causes, but the effects on the body were just as pronounced, and in a lot of cases just as deadly.
Roger Montgomerie, a doctoral student at the KNH Centre for Biomedical Egyptology at the University of Manchester, England, has uncovered evidence of 'particulates' in the lungs of 15 separate mummies.
Particulates are tiny microscopic particles that have been linked to a variety of modern-day illnesses, including heart disease and cancer.

Key to the past: The mummified remains of a worker discovered in Dakhleh Oasis, a remote outpost in southwest Egypt, shows that there are close to modern-day levels of 'particulates' in the lungs

It has been commonly belived that our heavily industrial, fossil-fuel-burning way of life has led to an increase in the airborne particulates.
But Mr Montgomerie's research has found high levels of particulates in the mummified tissue of ancient Egyptians - and surprisingly across all strata of society.
His work, on 15 separate mummified lung samples, is the first attempt to study particulates in multiple Egyptian remains. And he has revealed that the levels of particulates in ancient Egyptian lungs are not much below modern-day levels.
Mr Montgomerie told LiveScience: 'I would say it would be less than modern day, but not much less. It's quite bizarre, if you think about it, considering we have the mass burning of fossil fuels and an awful lot of pollution that has been going on since the industrial revolution.'

Traffic jam: A study of the preserved remains has found levels of damaging particulates over all walks of life in ancient Egypt, from lowly workers to high priests

Unhealthy: Smog-filled air over Downtown Los Angeles is an example of how our fossil-fuel-burning civilisation is not doing our lungs any favours

Mr ontgomerie said his 15 subjects came from a broad cross section of Egyptian life, not just the pyramid-building working class.
Some were ordinary workers who lived in a remote outpost called the Dakhleh Oasis, while others were of the upper class - nobles and priests or priestesses.
He said: 'Everyone seems to have a degree of it, it doesn't seem to be confined to one social group.'
That suggests there were a range of causes of air pollution, and that the Egyptians were not the healthiest of races.

'I would say it would be less than modern day, but not much less... Everyone seems to have a degree of it, it doesn't seem to be confined to one social group' 

Mr Montgomerie: 'It would definitely increase your chances of getting a lung infection and also probably increase your chances of something like pneumonia as well.'
While ancient Egypt was a preindustrial society, there is abundant evidence that they engaged in cooking, metal working and mining.
Sandstorms wouldn't have been easy on the lungs either, stirring any particulates into the air.
Mr Montgomerie is burning different sources of fuel used by the Egyptians and capturing the particulates they create. He is also gathering sand from archaeological sites and comparing them to sandy particulates found in the lungs.
Inhaled desert sand from a storm, for example, should be 'nice and rounded', while mined sand would be 'sharp and angular'.
He told LiveScience that it will be at least three months until he has results back from his experiment.
This research was presented at the 12th annual Current Research in Egyptology conference, held in March at Durham University in the United Kingdom.

Was Tutankhamun buried in a hurry? Microbial growth on pharaoh's tomb walls hints at rush job

Tutankhamun's tomb famously contained a spectacular collection of richly decorated pieces for his journey into the afterlife.
But while the Egyptians had time to amass an impressive array of artefacts to accompany the pharaoh, it appears they had to rush the burial.
A new scientific study of marks on the tomb's walls suggests that the Boy King, who died in his late teens in around 1300BC, may have been buried at haste.
Harvard microbiologist Ralph Mitchell believes dark brown spots which cover almost every part of the elaborately painted walls hold the key.

The interior of the Tomb of King Tutankhamun in Luxor, Egypt

The funeral mask of Tutankhamun, whose tomb was found in 1922

He claims they show the young pharaoh was buried in a hurry and sealed inside the construction before the walls were even dry.
Tutankhamun was an Egyptian pharaoh of the 18th dynasty. The cause of his sudden death in his youth has never been established.
Various investigations have attributed it to a head injury, an infected broken leg, malaria, sickle-cell anaemia or possibly a combination of illnesses.
It is thought his death was unexpected and came before a grander royal tomb was built, meaning he had to be buried in one smaller in relation to his status.
Scientists have been baffled by the spots on the walls ever since the tomb was discovered by Howard Carter in 1922.       
Like many ancient sites, the tomb - which is visited by hordes of tourists each year - now suffers from peeling paint and cracking walls.
The Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities were concerned about is preservation and contacted the Getty Conservation Institute for help who duly turned to Professor Mitchell.

Egyptian experts removing the lid of the Tutankhamun's sarcophagus in 2007

A coffinette containing Tut's liver and (right) his face, revealed for the first time

He was asked to examine the spots, find out if tourists were making them worse and whether they presented any sort of health risk.
The expert and his team combined classical microbiology with cutting edge techniques for the study, which involved culturing living organism specimens swabbed from the walls of the tomb and DNA sequence analysis.
Chemists at the Getty also analysed the brown marks, which have seeped into the paint and the plaster,  down to their molecular level.

Ralph Mitchell, pictured in his lab at Harvard, believes that a 'fingerprint' left by ancient Egyptian microbes may reveal a new secret about King Tut's burial

They have identified melanins, which are characteristic by-products of fungal metabolism but no living organisms have been matched to the spots.
Postdoctoral fellow Archana Vasnathakumar said: 'Our results indicate that the microbes that caused the spots are dead or, to put it in a more conservative way "not active".'
Analysis of photos taken when the tomb was first opened in 1922 also show the brown spots have not changed in the past 89 years.
The identity of the ancient organism is still a mystery but the evidence suggests the microbes are not growing and can only offer clues to the circumstances of King Tut's death.
Professor Mitchell said: 'King Tutankhamen died young, and we think that the tomb was prepared in a hurry. We're guessing that the painted wall was not dry when the tomb was sealed.'
The moisture as well as the food and incense left inside the tomb would have been a good environment for microbial growth until it dried out, he added.
He says there is little to be done about the 3000-year-old marks because the unique damage has already been done and should be left alone.
'This is part of the whole mystique of the tomb,' he said.

We've got the same mummy! Up to 70% of British men are 'related' to the Egyptian Pharaoh Tutankhamun

http://www.egyptraveluxe.com/luxor_day_tour_to_valley_of_the_kings_queens_&_hatshepsut_temple.php

Swiss company reconstructs King Tut's DNA profile from Discovery Channel documentary

Results show he belonged to 'haplogroup' common to half of Western European men

Claims disputed by fellow geneticists

A Swiss genetics company has claimed that up to 70 per cent of British men are related to the Egyptian Pharaoh Tutankhamun.
Scientists at Zurich-based DNA genealogy centre, iGENEA, say they have reconstructed the DNA profile of the boy Pharaoh based on a film that was made for the Discovery Channel.
The results showed that 'King Tut' belonged to a genetic profile group, known as haplogroup R1b1a2, to which more than 50 per cent of all men in Western Europe belong, indicating that they share a common ancestor.

Any resemblance? Geneticists claim 70 per cent of British men are related to King Tutankhamun, pictured left as a reconstruction, and right, his sarcophagus

Among modern-day Egyptians this haplogroup contingent is below 1 per cent, according to iGENEA.
'It was very interesting to discover that he belonged to a genetic group in Europe - there were many possible groups in Egypt that the DNA could have belonged to,' said Roman Scholz, director of the iGENEA Centre.

Around 70 per cent of Spanish and 60 per cent of French men also belong to the genetic group of the Pharaoh who ruled Egypt more than 3,000 years ago.
'We think the common ancestor lived in the Caucasus about 9,500 years ago,' said Scholz.

Code: Genetic information on King Tut which iGENEA says has shown the link between Tut and his descendants

Family home? The stone sarcophagus containing the mummy of King Tut in his underground tomb in the famed Valley of the Kings in Luxor, Egypt

Mummy's mummy: The remains of King Tut's mother which were studied in constructing Tut's DNA profile

TUTANKHAMUN: BOY KING

Although a totemic figure because of the stunning treasures he bequeathed, little is actually known about the life of Tutankhamun.
Tut lived from approximately 1341BC to 1323BC, and ruled from 1333BC until 1323BC.
He became Pharaoh of all Egypt when he was only nine years old, but it is not known exactly why.
His parentage is hotly disputed among scholars, with some arguing he was the son of the heretic king Akhenaten, who was married to Nefertiti - though she is not thought to be Tut's mother.
Another popular theory is that Tut was the half brother of Akhenaten, and son of the Pharaoh Amenophis III and his queen Tiye.
His name translates roughly as 'Living Image of Amun'; Amun being an Egyptian god.
He married his half-sister Ankhesenepatan and they had two daughters, both stillborn.
A 2010 National Geographic magazine article posited that Tut was the result of a incestuous relationship and, because of that, may have suffered from several genetic defects that contributed to his early death at 18.

It is estimated that the earliest migration of haplogroup R1b1a2 into Europe began with the spread of agriculture in 7,000 BC, according to iGENEA.
However, the geneticists were not sure how Tutankhamun's paternal lineage came to Egypt from its region of origin.
The centre is now using DNA testing to search for the closest living relatives of King Tut, offering people a refund on their on the cost of their personal genetics test ($179-$399) if they prove to be related.
'The offer has only been publicised for three days but we have already seen a lot of interest,' said Scholz.
However, the company has been criticised by the team that produced the documentary for the Discovery Channel, claiming they did not display enough information on screen for the iGENEA geneticists to carry out that task.
Carsten Pusch, a geneticist at the University of Tubingen in Germany, was part of the team that constructed King Tut's DNA from samples taken from his mummified remains, and those of his relatives.
Pusch said that iGENEA's claims are 'simply impossible' because they did not publish the data for Tut's Y-chomosome - found only in males - which would reveal his male descendants, and accused the company of a marketing gimmick.

Crash-test-mummies-Egypts-oldest-pyramid-saved-collapse-giant-airbags.

http://www.egyptraveluxe.com/cairo_day_tour_to_pyramids_of_giza_Sakkara_and_memphis.php

Egypt's oldest pyramid has been saved from collapse by giant airbags which have been used to prop up the ceilings.
The 4,700-year-old building has been stabilised so engineers can carry out permanent repairs.
The giant structure was built as a burial place for Pharaoh Djoser, a warrior who reigned in the third dynasty for 19 years but has been damaged in an earthquake.

Top support: The Pyramid of Djoser in Memphis, north-west Egypt, was likely to collapse before giant airbags were used to support the ceiling

SAFE FROM COLLAPSE: ANCIENT EGYPTIAN PYRAMIDS

The 4,700-year-old pyramid for Pharoah Djoser which is undergoing restoration work is a step pyramid. Originally it would have been covered by layers of limestone.
As one of the earliest ones created by the Egyptians, it was made from compacted mud brick layers with smaller layers built on top of each other. The square Djoser Pyramid is around 60 metres tall and has six steps.
Later came the bent pyramids which were built in much the same way but had their sides covered with smooth rock to give them angled rules. However, they did not go up at precisely the same angle all the way.
Finally came the true pyramids with the smooth walls rising at the same angle all the way to the top. They had their steps filled in with masonry.

The British team - who helped repair Windsor Castle after it was damaged by fire in 1993 - used technology first developed to aid in the safer disposal of improvised explosive devices in Afghanistan.
Engineering boss Peter James said: 'The entire structure could be destroyed at any point due to the damage caused by the earthquake.
'But we have stabilised the roof with these inflatable airbags and we will soon start repairing this magnificent building.'

The historic pyramid was feared to be so unstable that no-one has taken on the challenge of securing it in the last 19 years.
Peter James, a former Royal Navy lieutenant-commander who served in the Falklands War, has won a £1.8million contract to carry out the repairs.
His company Cintec adapted the airbags used by the British army to support the buidling.
The water filled bags work by surrounding an explosive with a bag which cushions the blast. But for the pyramid Mr James adapted his technology by substituting compressed air for water.

The British engineering firm that used airbags to support the structure are now going to carry out permanent repairs to the pyramid of Djoser now that these airbags are in place

The specialist structural engineers have previously worked on Buckingham Palace, Iron Bridge Gorge and The White House.
Mr James said:'It was very unstable when we got in there.
'The earthquake in 1992 had shifted everything sideways and it was a massive task trying to hold everything up without dislodging anything further.
'Until we got the scaffolding in place, we had no idea what was holding up the remaining 60m of stone.'
'It was a lethal and massive game of Ker-Plunk - trying to hold everything up, without dislodging anything further.'
He said: 'We had planned to use our water system but as soon as we got a good look at the chamber it was clear that inflating the bags with water wasn't going to work.

Pharoah dynamics: These airbags first used in Afghanistan to help with the disposal of roadside bombs have been used to support the 4,700-year-old pyramid

'The rocks in the ceiling were too jagged and there was a risk of deluging the pyramid which has been bone dry since it was built.'
The team will now thread thermo-dynamic steel rods diagonally through the steps of the pyramid to stabilise the roof.
Mr James said: 'The really tricky parts are the visible bits of the pyramid.'
'Underneath the surface we're able to use 21st Century technology to make it as strong as we know how to - but on the outside it needs to be per cent authentic.'
'That's involved finding the strongest blend - by using components which would have been available to the ancient Egyptians.'