History in danger

> With the drastic decline of tourists, Egypt now struggles to maintain its fabled archaeological heritage

has suffered as a result.

“With the lack of funding, you cannot restore anything. Look at the Cairo museum. It’s dark,” he said, referring to the famed Egyptian Museum in the capital’s Tahrir Square.

“And you cannot ask the government to support you because the economy is not that good. And antiquities are deteriorating everywhere,” he said.

Administering the country’s antiquities takes about 38,000 employees, including on-site workers, technicians, Egyptologists and inspectors, the ministry says.

The government has relied on foreign handouts since Morsi’s overthrow, and finally decided to float its currency this year as part of an economic reform programme connected to a loan from the International Monetary Fund.

An important part of an economic revival would include the return of tourism.

Until then, Khaled is trying to limit the damage.

“I try to do extra activities to increase revenue,” he said. For example, the Egyptian Museum, home to the golden mask of Tutankhamun ( above) and mummies of pharaohs, now stays open into the night, he said. Annual passes are also available to encourage Egyptians to visit the sites.

Patrons and archaeological missions still contribute to the preservation of Egypt’s ancient heritage, but the funds cannot cover everything.

“Priority is given to restoration,” said Haikal. “But there are excavations that have been stopped due to lack of funding.”

The excavations “have waited for 5,000 years and can wait”, she said, but important restoration work has also been delayed.

“At the very least, we identify what needs restoration, and we do the minimum to keep them in a proper state.”

Khaled is also pushing for granting public access to more sites, as was done with the recently-opened tombs of Nefertari and Seti I in Luxor.

The Malawi museum in the southern province of Minya has also been reopened, after a mob looted it during the bloody unrest following Morsi’s overthrow.

The Grand Egyptian Museum near the Giza pyramids should also be opened, at least partially, in 2018.

On some projects, the ministry can get special funds, such as for work done this year on the synagogue of Alexandria and the Abu Mena church, a Unesco World Heritage site.

Hawass, who advises Khaled, says the minister needs more support and also for authorities to think beyond Egypt by undertaking exhibitions abroad. “Why leave Tutankhamun in the Cairo museum, in a dark area. No one sees it,” he said. “Tutankhamun can bring money!” –

AFP