Secrets from the Sand: My Search for Egypt's Past.ZAHI HAWASS In this very visual biography, the head of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities The Supreme Council of Antiquities (commonly abbreviated SCA) is part of the Egyptian Ministry of Culture and is responsible for the conservation, protection and regulation of all antiquities and archaeological excavations in Egypt. and director of the Giza Pyramids tours the sites he's excavated during his 30-year career. His most famous discovery is the Valley of the Golden Mummies The Valley of the Golden Mummies is a huge burial site at Bahariya Oasis in the Western Desert of Egypt; discovered by Dr. Zahi Hawass in 1996. Dr. Zahi Hawass with his Egyptian team found around 250 mummies in several seasons; however the site has more than this number. in the Bahariya Oasis El-Waha el-Bahariya or Bahariya (Arabic: الواحة البحرية meaning the "northern oasis") is an oasis in Egypt. . It is the largest concentration of mummies found to date. Hawass also discusses the restoration of the Sphinx sphinx (sfĭngks), mythical beast of ancient Egypt, frequently symbolizing the pharaoh as an incarnation of the sun god Ra. The sphinx was represented in sculpture usually in a recumbent position with the head of a man and the body of a lion, and the Great Pyramids Great Pyramid, the Cheops’ tomb, built 4,600 years ago, nearly 500 feet high, with bases 755 feet long. [Egypt. Arch.: Brewer Dictionary, 735] See : Wonders, Architectural , which he oversaw. In describing each site, he explains the contents of the tombs and the nature of the ruins. These specific examples mold with a general overview of how Hawass' Egyptian ancestors lived thousands of years ago. These ancestors include kings and queens, as well as the men and women who labored to construct the Great Pyramids. Another unusual facet of this book is discussion of the author's involvement with the politics and challenges of protecting these landmarks while studying them and making them available to tourists. Lots of photographs bring Hawass' story to life. Abrams, 2003, 269 p., color photos/illus., hardcover, $45.00. |
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