Zahi Hawass 251567 222024608 2008-06-27T05:29:16Z Dougweller 1304678 Reverted 1 edit by [[Special:Contributions/12.208.122.115|12.208.122.115]] identified as [[WP:VAND|vandalism]] to last revision by [[User:Iuio|Iuio]]. ([[WP:TW|TW]]) [[Image:Zahi Hawass.jpg|thumb|250px|Zahi Hawass.]] '''Zahi Hawass''' ([[Arabic]]: زاهي حواس) (born [[28 May]] [[1947]] in [[Damietta]], [[Egypt]]) is an [[Egyptians|Egyptian]] [[archaeology|archaeologist]] and [[List of Egyptologists|Egyptologist]] and the current Secretary General of the Egyptian [[Supreme Council of Antiquities]].<ref name=hawass>[http://www.guardians.net/hawass/ Hawass's home page]</ref> He has also worked at archaeological sites in the [[Nile Delta]], the [[Libyan Desert|Western Desert]], and the [[Upper and Lower Egypt|Upper Nile Valley]]. ==Career== Hawass originally intended to become a lawyer, but then studied Greek and Roman archeology at [[Alexandria University]], where he obtained a Bachelor's degree. He obtained a diploma in Egyptology at the [[University of Cairo]], then continuing his studies at the [[University of Pennsylvania]], where he received his Doctoral Degree (Ph.D) in [[1987]]. After 1988, he taught Egyptian archeology, history and culture, mostly at the [[American University in Cairo]] and the [[University of California, Los Angeles]]. In [[1998]], he was appointed secretary of state and director of the [[Giza|Giza Plateau]]. In [[2002]] he was appointed Secretary General of the Egyptian [[Supreme Council of Antiquities]]. As of 2008, he is considered the highest-ranking archaeologist in Egypt.<ref>"[[Egypt's Ten Greatest Discoveries]]", video documentary, [[The Discovery Channel]], [[April 6]], [[2008]]</ref> ==Appearances== Hawass has appeared on television specials on channels such as [[The History Channel]] and [[The Discovery Channel]]. Hawass has also appeared in several episodes of the U.S. television show ''[[Digging for the Truth]]'', discussing [[Mummy|mummies]], the pyramids, [[Tutankhamun]], [[Cleopatra VII|Cleopatra]], and [[Ramesses II]]. He is the author of many books including ''King Tutankhamun: The Treasures from the Tomb'',<ref>[http://www.thameshudson.com/en/1/9780500051511.mxs?4d1cff8d28c67731007099a18c196d97 King Tutankamun: The Treasures of the Tomb : Books : Thames & Hudson<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> published to coincide with a major exhibition in the UK.<ref>[http://www.kingtut.org/home King Tut and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs Exhibition<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> He has also written an article on Tutankhamun in ''[[Ancient Egypt magazine]]'', and has written several articles for this bi-monthly UK-based magazine in the past. In June 2007, Hawass announced that he and a team of experts may have identified the mummy of [[Hatshepsut]] in [[KV60]], a small tomb in the [[Valley of the Kings]].<ref name=hawass/> When Hawass was present at the opening of the sealed tomb it was described in 2006 as "one of the most important events in the Valley of the Kings for almost a hundred years."<ref>''"King Tut's Mystery Tomb Opened", video documentary, [[Discovery Channel]], first aired [[July 9]], [[2006]]</ref> Hawass was also present for the opening of the UK exhibition, "[[Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs]]" in London and in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania when the exhibition traveled there. In the March 2008 issue of ''[[National Geographic Kids]]'', Hawass was in the Dare To Explore chapter. With the assistance of some of the world's leading Egyptologists, Hawass created and hosted ''[[Egypt's Ten Greatest Discoveries]]'', a documentary which spotlights the 10 greatest Ancient Egyptian discoveries as defined by Hawass and the egytologists. The documentary first aired on April 6, 2008 on the [[Discovery Channel]]. ==Positions== Hawass is currently spearheading a movement to return many prominent [[Ancient Egyptian]] artifacts, such as the [[Rosetta Stone]], the bust of [[Nefertiti]], the zodiac ceiling painting from the [[Dendera]] Temple, the bust of [[Ankhhaf]] (the architect of the [[Chephren]] Pyramid), and the statue of [[Hemiunu]], nephew of the Pharaoh Khufu, builder of the largest pyramid, to Egypt from collections in various other countries. In [[July 2003]], the Egyptians demanded the return of the Rosetta Stone. Hawass, as secretary general of the [[Supreme Council of Antiquities]] in [[Cairo]], told the press, "If the British want to be remembered, if they want to restore their reputation, they should volunteer to return the Rosetta Stone because it is the icon of our Egyptian identity."<ref>{{cite news|author = Charlotte Edwardes and Catherine Milner|title = Egypt demands return of the Rosetta Stone|publisher = [[The Daily Telegraph]]| date = [[2003-07-20]]|url = http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=%2Fnews%2F2003%2F07%2F20%2Fnroset20.xml|accessdate = 2006-10-05}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=Henry Huttinger|title = Stolen Treasures: Zahi Hawass wants the Rosetta Stone back, among other things|publisher = Cairo Magazine|date=2005-07-28|url = http://www.cairomagazine.com/?module=displaystory&story_id=1238&format=html|accessdate = 2006-10-06}}</ref> Hawass is also a vocal opponent of [[ancient astronauts]] theories about a previous highly technologically advanced, worldwide civilization. He appeared on a [[History Channel]] show to dispel the theories, and provided evidence to show that the Egyptians built the [[Egyptian pyramids|pyramids of Egypt]]. Hawass is now a regular columnist for ''[[Egypt Today]]'' magazine.<ref>[http://www.egypttoday.com Egypt Today - The Magazine Of Egypt<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Hawass also worked alongside Egyptologist [[Otto Schaden]] during the opening of Tomb [[KV63]] in February 2006 — the first intact tomb to be found in the [[Valley of the Kings]] since 1922. He is opposed to the claims of [[Afrocentrist]]s.<ref>[http://touregypt.net/teblog/egyptologynews/?p=2929 Egyptology News» Blog Archive » Hawass says that Tutankhamun was not black<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> According to Dr. Hawass "Tutankhamun was not black, and the portrayal of ancient Egyptian civilization as black has no element of truth to it."<ref>[http://touregypt.net/teblog/egyptologynews/?p=2929 Egyptology News» Blog Archive » Hawass says that Tutankhamun was not black<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> ==Works== ''Main article: [[List of works by Zahi Hawass]]'' Hawass has written and co-written many books relating to [[Egyptology]]. Many of his books coincide with his positions of [[Ancient Egypt]]. == Criticism == [[Image:Egypt.ZahiHawass.01.jpg|thumb|250px|Zahi Hawass signs an autograph in August 2003.]] In the West, some have accused Hawass of dominating the field of [[Egyptology]], for reasons such as not allowing archaeologists to announce their own findings, and courting the [[Mass media|media]] for his own gain after they were denied access to archaeological sites because, according to Hawass, they were too amateurish.<ref name=nytimes>[http://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/13/arts/design/13tut.html?ex=1276315200&en=806be8e7b8300fe7&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss The Show-Biz Pharaoh of Egypt's Antiquities]. Sharon Waxman. New York Times. June 13, 2005.</ref> Others however, including several Egyptologists, have said in interviews that most of what Hawass has done for the field was long overdue.<ref name=nytimes/> Hawass has typically ignored or dismissed his critics, and when asked about it, he indicated that what he does is for the sake of [[Egypt]] and the preservation of its antiquities. Hawass has instituted a systematic program for the preservation and restoration of historical monuments, while training native Egyptians to improve their expertise on methods of excavation, retrieval and preservation.<ref>{{cite journal | last=Hawass | first=Zahi | title=A New Era for Museums in Egypt | journal=Museum International | location=Oxford | publisher=Blackwell Synergy | month=May | year=2005 | issue=1-2 | volume=57 | pages=7–23 | doi=10.1111/j.1468-0033.2005.00505.x}}</ref> [[Afrocentrism|Afrocentrists]], who maintain that [[Ancient Egypt]] was a [[Black people|black]] [[civilization]] have charged Hawass with distorting the [[History of ancient Egypt]] to portray it as non-black (see [[Race of ancient Egyptians]]). Hawass has stated, in reply, that "Egyptians are not Arabs and are not Africans despite the fact that Egypt is in Africa."<ref name=Hawassnews>{{cite news | first= | last= | coauthors= | title=Tutankhamun was not black: Egypt antiquities chief | date= | publisher= | url =http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5iB6u3XEMp9IrJfl-kH6FHNgZCg_A | work =AFP | pages = | accessdate = 2007-09-27 | language = }}</ref> == References == {{reflist}} == External links == *[http://www.guardian.co.uk/life/interview/story/0,12982,1093638,00.html The king of the pharaohs] – Tim Radford; ''[[The Guardian]],'' [[27 November]] [[2003]]. *[http://www.cbc.ca/story/arts/national/2006/05/26/chicago-egypt.html CEO backs down in dispute over Egyptian sarcophagus] *[http://guardians.net/hawass The Plateau] Official Website of Zahi Hawass <!-- Metadata: see [[Wikipedia:Persondata]] --> {{Persondata |NAME=Hawass, Zahi |ALTERNATIVE NAMES=د. زاهي حواس |SHORT DESCRIPTION=Egyptologist, archaeologist |DATE OF BIRTH=[[28 May]] [[1947]] |PLACE OF BIRTH=[[Damietta]], [[Egypt]] |DATE OF DEATH= |PLACE OF DEATH= }} {{DEFAULTSORT:Hawass, Zahi}} [[Category:Egyptian archaeologists]] [[Category:Egyptian Egyptologists]] [[Category:Art and cultural repatriation]] [[Category:1947 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:University of Pennsylvania alumni]] [[Category:Zahi Hawass]] [[ar:زاهي حواس]] [[bg:Захи Хауас]] [[cs:Zahi Hawass]] [[de:Zahi Hawass]] [[es:Zahi Hawass]] [[fr:Zahi Hawass]] [[it:Zahi Hawass]] [[he:זאהי חוואס]] [[ka:ზაჰი ჰავასი]] [[lb:Zahi Hawass]] [[nl:Zahi Hawass]] [[pl:Zahi Hawass]] [[pt:Zahi Hawass]] [[ru:Хавасс, Захи]] [[sr:Захи Хавас]] [[fi:Zahi Hawass]] [[zh:札希·哈瓦斯]]