posted 22 August 2003 12:32 PM            

By Anthony Browne

THE world of Egyptology burst into controversy yesterday when one of Britain’s most prominent archaeologists was banned by the Egyptian Government from continuing her work.

Egypt says that Joann Fletcher, of York University, has “cheated the world” by publishing inaccurate information about Nefertiti.

British Egyptologists attribute the ban to professional jealousy, politics and attempts by Egypt to exact revenge for the Iraq war.

Dr Fletcher, the field director of York University’s “Mummy Research Project”, claimed this week to have found the mummy of Nefertiti, ancient Egypt’s most famous queen. The disappearance of the mummy had been one of the enduring mysteries of Egyptology. A programme featuring the reconstructed face of the queen appeared on American television on Sunday, and articles appeared in newspapers around the world.

Egypt’s Supreme Council for Antiquities, which controls research in the country, banned the project from any further work in the country yesterday, claiming that Dr Fletcher had “published inaccurate information about Queen Nefertiti without consulting the council”.

Zahi Hawas, the council’s secretary-general, said that Dr Fletcher “had cheated the whole world by publishing a photo, broadcast on the US television channel Discovery, that was supposed to represent Queen Nefertiti but which is far from reality”.

He said: “It has been proven that the mummy that Ms Fletcher has attributed to Nefertiti is that of a man, even according to her professor.”

posted 22 August 2003 02:05 PM            

SCA denies Nefertiti claims by British team

In response to news about discovery of the mummy of Queen Nefertiti, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council for Antiquities (SCA) Dr Zahi Hawas criticised British scientist Dr Joann Fletcher.

Dr Fletcher, a member of a British archaeological team working in Egypt, recently claimed that the team from York University in England unearthed Nefertiti from a secret tomb (KV35) in the Valley of Kings.

Nefertiti, which means 'the beautiful woman has come', was the wife of the 'heretic' Pharaoh Akhenaten, and was long considered to have been the most powerful woman in Ancient Egypt.

Her tomb was found near that of king Tutankhamen, the teenager who ruled Egypt in the 14th century BC, and whose tomb was first discovered in 1922.

Virtually all traces of Nefertiti and her husband (1353-1336 BC) were erased after his unsuccessful attempt to supplant polytheism with the worship of the Sun god Aton -- one of the earliest known practices of monotheism.

Nefertiti, whose limestone bust is in the Berlin Museum, had an unusually high status during her husband's reign. Like her husband, Nefertiti's name was erased from historical records and her likenesses were defaced after her death.

The mummy was first discovered in 1898 and ignored. Dr Fletcher was drawn to the tomb again during an expedition in June 2002, after she had identified a Nubian-style wig worn by royal women during Akhenaten's reign.

The wig was found near three unidentified mummies of two women and a boy.

The news, which Dr Fletcher was trying to spread, and which was broadcast on the Discovery Channel, prompted the SCA chief to investigate the claims of the British scientist, calling them "mere lies".

In an interview with Middle East News Agency (MENA), Dr Hawas said that the mummy Dr Fletcher and her assistants had found was that of a man.

"That is what Fletcher's supervisor said," Dr Hawas added.

The wig that Dr Fletcher claimed to have found beside the mummy does not exist, "because those who were with Fletcher at the time of the discovery denied seeing such an object," Dr Hawas said.

The mummy, which Dr Fletcher claimed to be that of a 25-year-old woman, turned out to be the mummified corpse of a female aged between 16 and 20.

"That is what the head of the expedition proved," Dr Hawas said.

"Therefore it cannot be the mummy of Nefertiti, because she died at 30 years old," he added.

Dr Hawas said that the holes Dr Fletcher claimed to have found in the earlobes of the corpse did not mean that the deceased was a woman, since ear-piercing was a common practice among men and women at that time.

But it seems that the "pack of lies" championed by Fletcher on the Discovery Channel, which funded the study for a special feature for transmission on 17 August, 2003, in the US, has produced unfavourable results.

"Because Fletcher broke the SCA's code of ethics, SCA has decided that mission by the British expedition in Egypt should be suspended," Dr Hawas said, adding that the rules of the SCA are strict on this point.

Scientific standards must be maintained by the expedition, which must publicise its activities, as well as bear the expenses of preliminary investigations.

Asked about the member of the French expedition who was caught in the act of smuggling artifacts, Dr Hawas said that the SCA assured that it was an individual misdeed and not a general practice by the French team, which Dr Hawas said "can in no way sully their reputation."

Commenting on the latest findings, Dr Hawas said: "There is much to be announced in due course."

posted 22 August 2003 02:28 PM            

This part is going to hurt. The "Mummy Research Project" is now banned anything else they were going to come up with will have be put together without the ability to use Mummies in Egypt or anything else in Egypt for that matter.

I don't agree with everything Fletcher did maybe she could have kept Zahi a little more informed about the direction of her research, but now those with a great interest in this topic lose out.

posted 22 August 2003 03:29 PM            

It was not Schoch who had these views. The person with this view was Frank Domingo. Domingo was hired by a crew to indentify the suposed phenotype of the Her-em-aket,and he said that the sphinx showed negriod affinities. He also stated the the people of Egypt in their physical profile reminded him of Dominicans. He admitted that modern Egypt had diverse phneotypes. I think Richard Poe has some passages from Frank Domingo in his book''Black Spark,White Fire''

I don't see anybody calling out Hawass to prove his Dna testing of pyramid workers that claims they are connected to modern Cairene Egyptians. He called an immunologist to do the job,but last time I checked an immunologist only specializes in diease,but have no expertise in Genetics.

posted 23 August 2003 07:01 AM            

quote:

---

Originally posted by Artemisis2:
HOWEVER, I did see J.A. West and Z. Hawass at the Mena House last May, discussing (somewhat cordially) what West would need access to for a filming he was about to do!

---

It's good to see those two getting along. I know most people think JA.West and his thoeries are way off. I like West and people like him who are on there own path and not just conforming to the mainstream view of things.

Who knows what he or someone inspired by his like may come up with one day.

posted 23 August 2003 11:29 PM            

but i don't understand two things. he said they saw no "nubian" wig, but i could've sworn they actually showed the wig where they found it near the feet of the mummy.

also, zahi is saying that someone on fletchers team said that the mummy was a man, but the scientist on the program said it was a woman aged around 30.

posted 24 August 2003 12:30 AM            

quote:

---

Originally posted by Kem-Au:
it sounds like zahi is trying to say she broke the rules by not telling him what she was doing??? but i highly doubt that he would have let her proceed had he known.

but i don't understand two things. he said they saw no "nubian" wig, but i could've sworn they actually showed the wig where they found it near the feet of the mummy.

also, zahi is saying that someone on fletchers team said that the mummy was a man, but the scientist on the program said it was a woman aged around 30.

i must've missed something.

---

I think I might have missed something too? What exactly did fletcher do wrong? How is she fighting back and what other egyptologists hve her back?

posted 24 August 2003 07:40 AM            

quote:

---

Originally posted by Obenga:

She made a press release about her theory and what she felt she had discovered without informing the SCA and Zahi first. According to some rule that the SCA have u must inform them first before any press release.

---

Sounds like Zahi is a bit of a control freak...

posted 24 August 2003 11:42 AM            

quote:

---

Originally posted by Amun:
Sounds like Zahi is a bit of a control freak...

Even if the mummy is not Nefertiti, it is definitely someone of high status who was hated because of the mutilation that appears to have been done to the body. As far as the mummy being a woman, on the program, Hawass agreed that it could be a woman, just younger than Dr. Fletcher believes the mummy is. It seems that he is upset that he wasn't informed about what she was doing and now he is trying to discredit her.

---

posted 24 August 2003 12:47 PM            

Zahi is very upset about the reconstructed image of this Mummy whoever she is. I don't think he wanted an image looking like that spread around the world as the "true" image of Nefertiti. He knew about the show, but I doubt he knew anything about the african looking reconstructed image. This must have been the final straw for him.

posted 24 August 2003 12:54 PM            

quote:

---

Originally posted by Obenga:
Remember how they felt about a black man playing Anwar Sadat. That movie was banned in egypt because they had Lou Gosset playing Sadat no other reason, so they must be very unhappy with this dark african looking reconstructed image.

---

posted 24 August 2003 03:14 PM            

"Zahi is very upset about the reconstructed image of this Mummy whoever she is. I don't think he wanted an image looking like that spread around the world as the "true" image of Nefertiti. He knew about the show, but I doubt he knew anything about the african looking reconstructed image. This must have been the final straw for him.

Remember how they felt about a black man playing Anwar Sadat. That movie was banned in egypt because they had Lou Gosset playing Sadat no other reason, so they must be very unhappy with this dark african looking reconstructed image."

Yeah but how did he feel about the reconstruction of King Tut? His reconstructed image was undeniably african! Did he have any comments on the reconstruction of tut? Also what is this programme that was banned in Egypt because they used african looking actors? This is pathetic if it is the case. But this is not a shock to me because non-black and non-white people seem to gravitate towards proving how much closer they are to white; even bending the common sense rules that dictates that they are not. At the same time they look down upon blacks or africans. This is because the white phenotype is in control of this world and has establish the mainstream mentality the "whiteness" is some how best! But if black people had control of this world things would have been exactly opposite. We would have people trying to aspire to "blackness". So with all this said it is important for people of science to realize these biases and implement things to greatly reduce them!

------------------
Time Will Tell!- Bob Marley

posted 24 August 2003 04:48 PM            

quote:

---

Originally posted by Ozzy:
Again I don’t really get this "Black" "White" thing. With the accepted "Out of Africa" theory most main stream disciplines are trying to prove for example, the existence, and to what degree, all other populations are related genetically to African populations. If anything I think these days it’s the other way round. So what’s with the whitening stuff? I’m not saying there are not those that try to associate every historical civilization to their ethnic background but it’s pretty much even these days with "Black and "White" making the claims, but again with what I have read in my years comes mainly from extremist groups. Black and white fortunately is no longer so "Black and white” as it used to be, for example Australian aboriginals and African populations are genetically the most distant between each other than any other populations on the planet, but racists would put them in the same box. The same can be said for many so called white peoples. I for one do not like being placed in a box. If there is an individual or group whom you are referring to then, refer directly to them.

---

Ozzy tell me what u think of this statement from the head of the SCA Zahi Hawass to an interviewer from the BBC:

Q: So how do you react to people who say that Egypt is an African
civilization?

ZH: I really don't believe that Egypt is an African civilization.
I believe that the Egyptians, Egyptian civilization were unique.
Egypt is in Africa, but the Egyptian civilization has nothing to do
with the african cultures. If you look at the egyptian from the anthropological point of view,
they are different from the African. And that is why I
believe that pharaonic egypt is completely unique, and they have
no connection with the Africans"

This is not the view of an extremist, this is the view of the head of Egypt’s Supreme Council for Antiquities (SCA) in Egypt and it carries considerable weight in the Egyptological world.

Very few if any Egyptologists would publicly dispute what Hawass stated.

What is your opinion on the perceptions of Hawass with regard to the lack of any physical or cultural relationship between africa and Ancient Egypt??

posted 24 August 2003 05:49 PM            

My reference was to the above, not previouse posts regarding the reason for Fletcher being band. I should have made that clear. I said, “I for one do not like being placed in a box. If there is an individual or group whom you are referring to then, refer directly to them.” I would by his definition be a non-Black, and that infers that all people of non African decent have this view. This is simply not the case. Others made refernce as you just have, to individuals, this I do not have a problem with. Just don’t place me in the same box by using a label such as “White” or “non-black”.

I would dispute however, as you have stated, “Very few if any Egyptologists would publicly dispute what Hawass stated”: As many, many do.

posted 24 August 2003 06:47 PM            

I see your point and agree with u on that.

"I would dispute however, as you have stated, “Very few if any Egyptologists would publicly dispute what Hawass stated”: As many, many do.

Gotta disagree with on this point. The most I see admitted by some prominent egyptologists is that ancient egypt was a Mixed population, which I agree with.

However it is common in Egyptology to this day for the African genesis of ancient egypt in Upper Egypt to be described as "Meditteranean" or "middle eastern" in it's beginnings and culture, which is a farce.

posted 24 August 2003 07:06 PM            

This sounds like a re-hash of the dyanstic race theory. I had thought this was long discredited. Most Egyptologist,Abnthropologist,and Archeologist agree that the culture of Pharonic Egypt grew out of the Naquda culture,and possibly the A-group Nubian culture.

Badarians,Naquadians,and other Upper Egyptins show close ties with Lower Nubians.

The findings of Nabta Playa,and the current book by Toby Wilkinson should shut up anybody trying to claim early Upper Egyptians were Medditereans.

By the way,the Medditerean race was postulated by a man named Gullselpi Sergi,who is no longer used in mainstream academia. The old racial theories of Carl Selgiman are no longer used either.

Selgiman even though that the closest race to the dyanstic Egyptians were the Beja,and he even considered these people to be ''pusedo-dark whites''

posted 24 August 2003 07:58 PM            

The areas I have concentrated on are Linguistics, Anthropology, Genetics, ancient geology, and the younger Dryas period.

You may be interested in this.

Universitat de Barcelona, Spain.

The Hpal (np3,592) mitochondrial DNA marker is a selectively neutral mutation that is very common in sub-Saharan Africa and is almost absent in North African and European populations. It has been screened in a Meroitic sample from ancient Nubia through PCR amplification and posterior enzyme digestion, to evaluate the sub-Saharan genetic influences in this population. From 29 individuals analysed, only 15 yield positive amplifications, four of them (26.7%) displaying the sub-Saharan African marker. Hpa 1 (np3,592) marker is present in the sub-Saharan populations at a frequency of 68.7 on average. Thus, the frequency of genes from this area in the Merotic Nubian population can be estimated at around 39% (with a confidence interval from 22% to 55%). The frequency obtained fits in a south-north decreasing gradient of Hpa I (np3,592) along the African continent. Results suggest that morphological changes observed historically in the Nubian populations are more likely to be due to the existence of south-north gene flow through the Nile Valley than to in-situ evolution.

As for the Novel, it is based on Solons travel to Egypt 590BC and his discussions with the Priests about Egyptian and world history, as written by Plato. Solons discussions serve as a lead into a story set at the end of the younger Dyas period (Ice Age)) 9600BC which ended abruptly according to ice core records as quickly as 15 years. At this time sea level was 100 to 130mts below current levels. 50% of the ice melt happened within this abrupt period. To illustrate the affect, one of the most spectacular episodes of this time was the inundation of the vast Dogger Bank, which lies between Britain and Denmark. Today, the Dogger Bank lies 50 metres (165 feet) below the North Sea, but 9,600 years ago it was covered in coniferous forest inhabited by a variety of animals and possibly stone-age humans. In an inundation that is estimated to have lasted only a few decades, 200,000 km2 (78,000 miles2) of forest was flooded by the rising sea. Another example is the Black sea, once a lake, was inundated with the equivalent of all present days’ rivers flooding into the black sea, connecting it to the Mediterranean. Yep it’s a bit of disaster story and it’s fictional, but I am trying to keep the stage its set on at least true to the time periods. Not an easy task for 9600BC.

That’s why I read sites such as this; they help with the building of a realistic world.

posted 24 August 2003 08:25 PM            

The Hpal (np3,592) mitochondrial DNA marker is a selectively neutral mutation that is very common in sub-Saharan Africa and is almost absent in North African and European populations. It has been screened in a Meroitic sample from ancient Nubia through PCR amplification and posterior enzyme digestion, to evaluate the sub-Saharan genetic influences in this population. From 29 individuals analysed, only 15 yield positive amplifications, four of them (26.7%) displaying the sub-Saharan African marker. Hpa 1 (np3,592) marker is present in the sub-Saharan populations at a frequency of 68.7 on average. Thus, the frequency of genes from this area in the Merotic Nubian population can be estimated at around 39% (with a confidence interval from 22% to 55%). The frequency obtained fits in a south-north decreasing gradient of Hpa I (np3,592) along the African continent. Results suggest that morphological changes observed historically in the Nubian populations are more likely to be due to the existence of south-north gene flow through the Nile Valley than to in-situ evolution.''

I have read this abstract,but it should be pointed out that teeth found at the Nabta-Playa sites has matches with Sub-Saharan Africans. The other truth is that up to 2000B.C according to MC Chamla,Ferki Hassan,and Soy Keita the Sahara was mostly negriod. This is a known fact.

For more information on settlment of the Nile in Pre-Dyanstic times check out my post under ''Egyptians were not Medditerean caucasoids''

I posted Anthropological abstracts and all.

I also disagree because the earliest Khatorum Neolithic,Mesolothic,and various other periods all show that they were negriod. The earliest Badarian culture around the Nile was to and closely connected,as well as the Fayium in Middle Egypt,which borrowed the pottery industry from Kharoum Nelothic.

posted 24 August 2003 08:33 PM            

On the ethnicity issue your own words seem to indicate that in much of your readings it is not mentioned. I wouldn't try to convince u one way or another, If u are interested and willing to be objective do a little research on the issue yourself and see what u come up with.

Keep in mind that people who look like the reconstructed image of Tut, Nefertiti, and Phaoraohs like the one below will often be called caucasoid/Asiatic or something other than African.

Amenemhet I founder of the 12th Dynasty

posted 24 August 2003 08:39 PM            

Here are some additional references

posted 24 August 2003 08:59 PM            

I would be happy to post the first chapter for comments on the Egyptian content, if thats allowable. Or email to those interested, as long as the copy right issue is understood.

posted 24 August 2003 11:20 PM            

quote:

---

Originally posted by Keino:
Yeah but how did he feel about the reconstruction of King Tut? His reconstructed image was undeniably african! Did he have any comments on the reconstruction of tut? Also what is this programme that was banned in Egypt because they used african looking actors? This is pathetic if it is the case. But this is not a shock to me because non-black and non-white people seem to gravitate towards proving how much closer they are to white; even bending the common sense rules that dictates that they are not. At the same time they look down upon blacks or africans. This is because the white phenotype is in control of this world and has establish the mainstream mentality the "whiteness" is some how best! But if black people had control of this world things would have been exactly opposite. We would have people trying to aspire to "blackness". So with all this said it is important for people of science to realize these biases and implement things to greatly reduce them!

---

the reconstruction of tut was a different story. for one, there is no question of who the skull is. it's tut. second, there is no question that tut was a black man. there are numerous depictions of him that survive today and the show that he was black. some of them have been posted on this board. so there's nothing for zahi to argue there.

many people used nefertiti's fair skin as evidence that kemites weren't black. of course this is complete crap. in america and western europe, she's a fair skinned black woman. but to depict her as african as fletcher did must have made zahi have twins. had fletcher lightened the skin of the reconstruction a bit, i think she might still be in business.

and to your point about the whitening of kmt. i think that is beginning to change. more and more egyptologists are beginning to accept the african origin of kmt, though it is a slow process and alot of work needs to be done. but many egyptologists (but not all) now believe kmt to be an indigenous african civilization. and i highly doubt the average white person gives half a damn about the ethnicity of kemites.

the egyptian gov't on the other hand seems to want to make sure the egypt is not at all associated with the rest of africa. which is strange considering how little the arabs thought of kemites when they invaded.

posted 25 August 2003 07:41 AM            

"many egyptologists (but not all) now believe kmt to be an indigenous african civilization."

Who are these egyptologists? Give me some names Kem-Au, I'd like to read some of there work.

Outside of British Historian Basil Davidson and Martin Bernal and don't often see Kmt referred to as an African civilization in the black african senses. I see more of a reference to it as a north African civilization like carthage with perhaps a reference or two to the ambigiuos presence of Black africans mixed in among the population, like in Ian Shaws book.

posted 25 August 2003 11:33 AM            

quote:

---

Originally posted by Obenga:
Kem,

"many egyptologists (but not all) now believe kmt to be an indigenous african civilization."

Who are these egyptologists? Give me some names Kem-Au, I'd like to read some of there work.

Outside of British Historian Basil Davidson and Martin Bernal and don't often see Kmt referred to as an African civilization in the black african senses. I see more of a reference to it as a north African civilization like carthage with perhaps a reference or two to the ambigiuos presence of Black africans mixed in among the population, like in Ian Shaws book.

It is never grouped with other black african civilaizations like Punt or Ghana in comparison to how often it is mentioned with Sumer or Assyria.

---

remember, i said there were egyptologists that believe kmt to be an indigenous african civilization. i never said they grouped kmt with other african civilizations. i think we're still a way's off before we start to see that.

but there are now a number off people who believe kmt was founded by africans. that doesn't mean they would call kemites black, but it's at least a step in the right direction. i can't remember the names off hand but i will try to get you some later tonight. but the archaeologist who excavated nabta playa believe kemites originated from around there and the sub-saharan, not from asia, or even europe as some had suggested.

posted 25 August 2003 01:21 PM            

quote:

---

Originally posted by Ozzy:
“But this is not a shock to me because non-black and non-white people seem to gravitate towards proving how much closer they are to white; even bending the common sense rules that dictates that they are not. At the same time they look down upon blacks or africans. This is because the white phenotype is in control of this world and has establish the mainstream mentality the "whiteness" is some how best!”

My reference was to the above, not previouse posts regarding the reason for Fletcher being band. I should have made that clear. I said, “I for one do not like being placed in a box. If there is an individual or group whom you are referring to then, refer directly to them.” I would by his definition be a non-Black, and that infers that all people of non African decent have this view. This is simply not the case. Others made refernce as you just have, to individuals, this I do not have a problem with. Just don’t place me in the same box by using a label such as “White” or “non-black”.

I would dispute however, as you have stated, “Very few if any Egyptologists would publicly dispute what Hawass stated”: As many, many do.

I don’t wish to get into a debate about the origins of Kemetians so I will not respond to what Zahi Hawass has to say, other than you have mad reference to an individual not claiming his views are the view of all “Whites” or at least I hope

---

Ozzy, I didn't mean to use blanket comments, but I stand by my statement. I try not to streotype! I do believe many (not all) people who can be described as non-black and non-white (groups of people who are neither black nor white) aspire more to be described as white due to the recent racial history of this world. If one looks at this world objectively he or she will see the biases in favour of the white phenotype and the disadvantages and negative images given to non-white especially the black phenotype. This is also very present in acdemia especialy egyptology and it is acedemia who paints the picture as to how ancient egyptians looked. I really believe the average white/caucasian person don't care about the ethnicity of ancient Eyptians. There has only been a recent (somewhat) unbiased look at the origins of ancient egypt and things are slowly changing. I don't expect these changes to occur overnight but I think many egyptologist are just being PC by either avoiding the racial component of kemetans or calling them dark skinned, kinky/wavy hair white/caucasians.
Trust me ozzy, if this was anyother issue besides egypt these ancient people would be called phenotypically black and that would be that. But since there is alot of glory and prestige behind egypt; black ain't so black anymore. Why do you think there is a black phenotype reconstructed for ancient egyptian skulls? However these are the same skulls that some egyptologist call caucasian. There is a double standard here. I can go on but I think we have been on a tangent for a while now. I know this race issue is so over debated, but then again these are the racially conscious times we live in. That's my 2 cents.

posted 25 August 2003 08:03 PM            

quote:

---

Originally posted by Obenga:

Who are these egyptologists? Give me some names Kem-Au, I'd like to read some of there work.

---

so far, it seems that kent weeks believes that kemites originated in upper kmt. go to his site for more: http://www.thebanmappingproject.com

posted 25 August 2003 08:32 PM            

quote:

---

Originally posted by Ozzy:
I have come accross 3 different Tut reconstruction, can someone direct me to the one you are all talking about.

---

posted 12 January 2005 11:40 PM            

quote:

---

Originally posted by Obenga:
Egypt bans Briton in Nefertiti dispute

By Anthony Browne

THE world of Egyptology burst into controversy yesterday when one of Britain’s most prominent archaeologists was banned by the Egyptian Government from continuing her work.

Egypt says that Joann Fletcher, of York University, has “cheated the world” by publishing inaccurate information about Nefertiti.

British Egyptologists attribute the ban to professional jealousy, politics and attempts by Egypt to exact revenge for the Iraq war.

Dr Fletcher, the field director of York University’s “Mummy Research Project”, claimed this week to have found the mummy of Nefertiti, ancient Egypt’s most famous queen. The disappearance of the mummy had been one of the enduring mysteries of Egyptology. A programme featuring the reconstructed face of the queen appeared on American television on Sunday, and articles appeared in newspapers around the world.

Egypt’s Supreme Council for Antiquities, which controls research in the country, banned the project from any further work in the country yesterday, claiming that Dr Fletcher had “published inaccurate information about Queen Nefertiti without consulting the council”.

Zahi Hawas, the council’s secretary-general, said that Dr Fletcher “had cheated the whole world by publishing a photo, broadcast on the US television channel Discovery, that was supposed to represent Queen Nefertiti but which is far from reality”.

He said: “It has been proven that the mummy that Ms Fletcher has attributed to Nefertiti is that of a man, even according to her professor.”

Dr Fletcher was unavailable for comment yesterday. But another British Egyptologist, who wanted anonymity, said: “They are using any excuse to delay or ban any British or American project because of Israel and the Iraq war.”

---

posted 13 January 2005 10:23 AM            

quote:

---

Any further developments? I have just seen the Discovery Channel programme. It looks all a bit woolly to me but then if it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, etc, it probably is a duck. Not suprised our Egyptian Indiana Jones is up in arms. The possibility of a scoop, right under his nose, by a Brit? Ouch!

---

* Fletcher recently released a book, Search for Nefertiti.

* We are still trying to confirm Hawass mysterious DNA test.

Fletcher's book doesn't shed any major revelations, but does clarify her opinions.

She seems to think Nefertiti was a native of Kemet in part because she was raised in a royal nursery.

posted 13 January 2005 01:46 PM            

quote:

---

Originally posted by Horemheb:
I find the not so subtle criticism of Dr Hawass on this thread interesting. he simply ignores the 'black' Egyptian issue most likely because he, like others, does not consider it relevant.

---

My personal disdain for Dr. Zahi Hawass, came wayyyyyyy before I was aware of his political views, pertaining to the ethnicity of the Ancient Kemetians.

I find him arrogant, self pretentious, and obviously a power hungry dictator. Who abuses his authority by banning those scientists/archaeologists who disagree with him.

I can honestly say, he is my least favorite person, when it comes to the field of Egyptology.

But, if I were too state something I like and admire about him. Of course, It would most definitely have to be the undying devotion he has for AE. Which is something I think we all can aspire too.

posted 13 January 2005 02:33 PM            

quote:

---

Originally posted by Horemheb:
2005, The political movement began when the afrocentrics began mixing race with history. You don't like Dr Hawass because he correctly refuses to do that.

---

Sorry to disappoint you Horemheb, but the political movement began wayyyyy before the word *Afrocentric* or the concept of *Afrocentrism* was even in existence.

It truly began in the early days of Egyptology by the Eurocentrists. When they started distorting facts, and rebelling against the previous scholarly work undertaken before them.

posted 14 January 2005 03:01 AM            

quote:

---

Originally posted by Keino:

"Zahi is very upset about the reconstructed image of this Mummy whoever she is. I don't think he wanted an image looking like that spread around the world as the "true" image of Nefertiti. He knew about the show, but I doubt he knew anything about the african looking reconstructed image. This must have been the final straw for him.

Remember how they felt about a black man playing Anwar Sadat. That movie was banned in egypt because they had Lou Gosset playing Sadat no other reason, so they must be very unhappy with this dark african looking reconstructed image."

Yeah but how did he feel about the reconstruction of King Tut? His reconstructed image was undeniably african! Did he have any comments on the reconstruction of tut? Also what is this programme that was banned in Egypt because they used african looking actors? This is pathetic if it is the case. But this is not a shock to me because non-black and non-white people seem to gravitate towards proving how much closer they are to white; even bending the common sense rules that dictates that they are not. At the same time they look down upon blacks or africans. This is because the white phenotype is in control of this world and has establish the mainstream mentality the "whiteness" is some how best! But if black people had control of this world things would have been exactly opposite. We would have people trying to aspire to "blackness". So with all this said it is important for people of science to realize these biases and implement things to greatly reduce them!

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