1st
Final discussion
Jeff and Dr Maksoud are chairing the final discussion on behalf of the EES and the SCA.
Jeff welcomed the participation in the Workshop of so many of our Egyptian colleagues from the SCA as it is important for everyone to work together and share information.
Dr Maksoud agreed, especially as the Delta is under great threat from encroaching agriculture and construction. This has accelerated since the recent revolution as local people are taking advantage of the lower levels of security to start construction. Dr Maksoud would like to open a documentation centre for the Delta in a building which already exists at Tell Basta. Centres could also be opened in Sinai and Alexandria, creating research centres for the Delta in three areas.
Randa Baligh suggested that archaeology students could help in assessing damage to sites and magazines and in protecting them as they had done during the revolution. Dr Maksoud reiterated that Dr Hawass will be holding a meeting tomorrow to discuss security and how it can be improved.
Ayman Ashmawy said that more efforts must be made to educate the public about the importance of antiquities and must feel they are relevant to them, so that they are alert to attempts to attack sites or stores and will help to prevent them.
Dr Maksoud noted that illegal antiquity-hunting had increased and he agreed that it will be important to explain to people that they should preserve antiquities as part of their own culture.
Dr Pusch also agreed and said that many people who live in the Daba/Qantir area are not aware that it was once the capital of Egypt. Awareness needs to be raised so that people are proud of their heritage and culture and do not see antiquities as ‘treasure’.
Dr Maksoud queried the logic of building too many museums in places where they are few visitors. He would prefer more storage magazines to be constructed.
