A Q&A with Dr. Zahi Hawass on the adventurous existence of Archaeologists and Egyptologists
Don’t Just Visit the Past, Experience It!
By Maria Anna van Driel, www.nexttruth.com
The movies of Indiana Jones and The Librarian immediately come to mind with most people when hearing the word “archeology”. They like to think about the life of an archaeologist as a mysterious and a very adventurous endeavour. Well, they are partly right, except that this intriguing corner of science has mainly to do with extreme logistics and the scientific study of the material remains of past human life and activities rather than creepy mummies coming back to life, ghostly knights lingering in dark dungeons and sacred relics topped with glistening jewels.
In order for you to gain a better understanding of what Archeology and Egyptology is, The Next Truth reached out to the world-renowned Egyptian archaeologist, Egyptologist, and former Minister of State for Antiquities Affairs, Dr. Zahi Hawass.
Dr. Hawass was born in a small village near Damietta, Egypt. Although he originally dreamed of becoming an attorney, he obtained a bachelor of arts degree in Greek and Roman Archaeology from Alexandria University in Alexandria, Egypt in 1967 and in 1979, Dr. Hawass earned a diploma in Egyptology from Cairo University after which he then worked at the Great Pyramids as an inspector—a combination of administrator and archaeologist.
At the age of 33 he was awarded a Fulbright Fellowship to attend the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia to study Egyptology, earning a master of arts degree in Egyptology and Syro-Palestinian Archaeology in 1983, and his PhD in Egyptology in 1987 from the Graduate Group in the Art and Archaeology of the Mediterranean World, concentrating on “The Funerary Establishments of Khufu, Khafra and Menkaura During the Old Kingdom.”
In 1998 Dr. Hawass received the First Class Award for Arts and Sciences by the President. He was recognized by Time magazine as one of the world’s 100 Most Influential People in 2006 and received an Emmy Award from the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences for a documentary on ancient Egypt in 2006.
Over the course of his career Dr. Hawass has made a number of major discoveries that led to significant findings, including the Tombs of the Pyramid Builders at Giza and the Valley of the Golden Mummies at Bahariya Oasis. He also initiated the Egyptian Mummy Project, which used modern forensic techniques such as CAT scans to study both royal and non royal mummies. But besides being an archeologists and Egyptologist, Dr. Hawass is also a regular columnist for Egypt Today magazine, and the online historical community, Heritage Key and the author and co-author of many books relating to Egyptology which includes his latest book “Zahi Hawass’ Secret Egypt”.
To become more familiar with Dr. Hawass’ appearance in countless TV programs that have spread the story of ancient Egypt worldwide, and books visit his website, www.drhawass.com
Welcome Dr. Hawass. I appreciate the time you took for letting the next generation scientists peer into your career as an Archeologist, Egyptologist and the former Egyptian Minister of Antiquities and Director of Excavations at Giza, Saqqara, Bahariya Oasis, and the Valley of the Kings and Archeologist.
Q: You are a world-renowned archaeologist and an expert in the one branch of science that allows you to step into the history and culture of ancient Egypt. But for those young scientists who don’t know much about your background, can you tell us a little about yourself? Who is Dr. Zahi Hawass?
Dr. Hawass: I’m and archeologist and an Egyptologist, mostly well-known for having served as the Minister of Antiquities in Egypt. I started my career looking to be a lawyer, but then, I focused on archeology during my bachelors. I gained a Fulbright fellowship and travelled to the US where I got my doctorate. After that, I was able to do more and major excavations, write books, and give lectures. I was rewarded from many cities in the US, and received about 7 honorary doctorates. I was chosen as one of the Times’ top 100 in 2006. Currently, I am working in my research projects, excavating the Valley of the Kings and supervising the Egyptian project where we CT scan the mummies.
Q: Can you tell us a little bit about the history of Archeology?
Dr. Hawass: The history of archeology began by adventurers and treasure hunters; we can think of G.B. Belzoni who discovered Seti I’s tomb and Howard Vyse who opened tunnels in the Sphinx with dynamite. Then, this was followed by a wave of scientific research in the 19th century; here we can mention Flinders Petrie, the father of Egyptology, Lepsius from England, and many Egyptologists many began to introduce it as a science. The ancient Egyptian language began to be studied by all philologists worldwide.
In the 20th centuries, many countries began to establish departments to offer the chance to study Egyptology. University departments and museums used to come and excavate in Egypt with students from all over the world. The Egyptian archaeologists came after: the first was Ahmed Pasha Kamal who was involved in the cachette of the mummies in 1881. After that, Egypt entered a new era, opening departments for archeology with many students but still there was still a lack of training.
When I became head of the Supreme Council of Antiquities in 2002, I made major important work to train many young people in excavation techniques and for them to travel outside of the country and come back with doctorate degrees. Now Egyptology became a solid science in the country.
Q: How do you become an Archeologist and what are his or her responsibilities?
Dr. Hawass: You should start with undergraduate studies in archeology, follow it with a masters and then do postgraduate studies. If you can, join a university or a museum for employment. It is then important to do research in modern Egypt on ancient Egypt by working in excavations. It is also crucial to engage with other scholars and attend scientific conferences to present papers. In terms of responsibilities, one has to protect, excavate and write about monuments, do major conservation and publish what is discovered. Finally, one should give public lectures to spread awareness about Egyptology.
Q: Did you have a role model that influenced your decision to become an Archeologist?
Dr. Hawass: No, only the story that made me fall in love with archeology. There was no model for the public to take after. My decision to become an archeologist came from the fact that I had been working at an excavation in Egypt, when the workers called me to let me know they had found a beautiful female statue of Aphrodite. This was a wonderful object and as soon as I saw it, I felt that I had found my love: archeology.
It is important to have passion in this field of work as it can be challenging; passion is the main key for success as it gives one the endurance and the patience to not only keep going but to give a lot of efforts in the projects we take on.
Q: How do Archeologists know where to dig? Which tools are being used during an excavation?
Dr. Hawass: Archeologists know by conducting research to establish the reasons to excavate in a particular location. For example, when I began to look for the tombs of the pyramid builders, I studied the Giza plateau. I found the oldest limestone wall dated to the Old kingdom, this wall was to separate the royal and workmen. Also, in the same area, there was a mud seal with the hieroglyph ‘pr-sh- na’ (workmen installation). In my research, I put a question mark on that. When I returned after obtaining my doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania, I began to start looking. I found it in the same location I did my research in.
Discoveries also come by accident. You have to start the excavation regardless. We found the valley of the golden mummies in Bahareya oasis by complete accident. For instance, when the antiquities guard of the temple of Alexander the Great was riding on his donkey to his home, the leg of the donkey got stuck in a hole, the guard stepped off the donkey and he looked in the hole: he found tombs with mummies covered with gold. I went with my team for 3 years; we lived in Bahareya oasis and discovered the Valley of the golden mummies.
Q: Is being an Archeologist dangerous?
Dr. Hawass: Sometimes it is. For example, I was excavating the tunnel of Seti I and this tunnel goes down 174 m inside the mountains. While I was excavating, a stone about over a tone fell on my leg and broke my toes. Also, while I was excavating, looking for the tomb of Cleopatra and Mark Anthony, a stone half a ton in weight fell almost on my head. Thankfully, the stone was half a meter high away from my head but this made a macular hole in my eye. I can definitely say that archeology is dangerous, but adventurous and fun.
Q: On your website we can read that you have made a number of major discoveries over the course of your career, including the Tombs of the Pyramid Builders at Giza and the Valley of the Golden Mummies at Bahariya Oasis. How are these sites being secured and why?
Dr. Hawass: They are completely secured. Every tomb and antiquity site does have appointed guards. There are also security antiquities police in charge of the protection of the site and there is a system of inspectors and directors in every site. Their responsibility is to protect and maintain the sites so it is very well supervised.
Q: How are the historical and valuable artifacts, found at a site, stored and categorized?
Dr. Hawass: When an artifact is discovered, you clean it; you restore it on site if there is a need for it and before you remove it from the area in which it was found. Then, you carry out its documentation through photography. You write a description for it then put in a registry book that goes to the government. After that, you move the artifacts to a storage magazine to be kept safely. When you need to write a book or an article on the artifacts, you can go and study them to decide the date of this artifact.
Q: What is for you the most impressive find that you have made in your career?
Dr. Hawass: I think that every discovery I made has added something to me and to my life. For example, the tombs of the pyramid builders were very important for me as they were the ultimate proof and answer to all the people who hold extraordinary beliefs and theories about the pyramids. For example, those people who believe in aliens having built them or that Atlantis is under them.
When I found a new pyramid near Khufu’s pyramid that also made a very deep impression on me personally. When I did the CT scan of the mummies and successfully identified the mummy of Hatshepsut, and how Ramses III was murdered – these were crucial moments for Egyptology. And, you know with DNA we got to find out how Tutankhamun died as well as we were able to put together the family of Tutankhamun, identifying the grandparents and parents. Now, my excavations in the Valley of the Kings are revealing many important aspects to the East and West Valley; we are hoping that one day we will discover the tomb of Queen Nefertiti in either.
Q: Why is Archeology important today?
Dr. Hawass: It is important today because each and every country’s constitutes that of the whole world and humanity’s. Egypt, of course, is no exception. Moreover, studying the past and restoring it helps us understanding how things evolved until they came into being today and how they can keep evolving to the future. We need to learn and remind ourselves of the wisdom, science and technology of ancient people – all of these are important to be understood today.
Q: Today you can look back on an impressive career and much to be proud of; what would you say is a moment in your career that stands out as most meaningful?
Dr. Hawass: There are many good moments that I consider significant and that makes me proud: when I scanned the mummy of Tutankhamun. This happened in Luxor, when I took the coffins out and I met Tutankhamun face to face. Another great moment was when I found the secret doors inside the Great Pyramid of Giza. Another noteworthy event was when I found the tooth in the canopic box of Queen Hatshepsut; the molar lead me to properly identify her mummy. I would say these were some of the most beautiful moments in my life as an archeologist.
Q: What holds the future for your books and your career?
Dr. Hawass: As always, I am involved in many archeology and Egyptology projects. Moreover,I am now writing my life story which is almost done and due to be published soon. In terms of more work, I want to continue my excavation work in the Valley of the Kings as well as wrap up the second royal mummy project. Lastly, I am planning to give 20 lectures in 20 cities all over the US in May and June.
Q: Dr. Hawass, thank you so much for this interview. I am sure it will be an inspiration to many. Do you have any additional advice you can give for aspiring Archeologists who want to excavate and secure the mysteries of past civilizations?
Dr. Hawass: I think it is very important for individuals to be passionate about the work they are doing. When you have passion, you can achieve from the littlest to the biggest things. Not only will it give you perseverance but also patience to keep at it during difficult times.
[Top]Someone has backed you up!
Today, anno 2020, I may say with pride that I am the founder and owner of The Next Truth magazine what has become international within one year and is focusing on an academic trained audience, citizen scientists and those who have an indomitable curiosity for scientific explanations concerning topics viewed, and thought of, by the majority as myths.
Also, since January 2020, The Next Truth saw the opportunity to take the next step and expand with a second bi-monthly magazine, “Young People Science”. And since recently, The Next Truth has found the possibility to create a flipbook for anyone who is interested in the incredible stories and research conducted by scientists and citizen scientists, but is not in the position to purchase a print version of the magazine.
Working in the midst of world-renowned scientists as well as speaking with citizen scientists who are conducting amazing research in their own field of interest and specialize their already possessing skills even more…it is a true honor having the opportunity to be a part of this all and to see the progress you have made.
But I couldn’t have said the above if I didn’t had the one person who had the courage to publish my very first and extremely bad written, article in her magazine (Paranormal Underground Magazine) in 2015. What where you thinking Cheryl !! 😂
However, the moral of my words is; when you start to find yourself climbing out of a crazy jungle and looking over the surface of the tall grass into a direction in where your goal is getting clearer, never forget those who backed you up. We all started at the bottom and worked ourselves up with the help of others.
Once Cheryl-Knight Wilson was my teacher, editor and, if I may express it that way, my boss. Today she is my colleague magazine. 😊
Many, many thanks Cheryl taking me in back then and providing me the change to refine my witting skills.
For your connection to paranormal realms: https://paranormalunderground.net/
For the flipbook of The Next Truth: https://www.yumpu.com/…/630660…/the-next-truth-february-2020
For reading the full article “Scientists are Conducting Fundamental Research with ‘Speed Machines’” http://nexttruth.com/?p=24575
Three Days of Hell on Earth!
2008 was the year that I typed the first story telling words on my laptop and I felt proud when I saved the word document. It took me 6 years after that before I wrote my first scientific lines for a booklet having only 95 pages and it t took me 3 years more before I wrote my very first scientific article. A real crappy one compared to my latest publications. Really, it was that bad, I cannot edit this myself anymore! And yes, I still have the article what bears the title, “Tachyon; the Leading Element in Evolution? “
Nevertheless, holding the home printed version of my very first scientific article I felt like standing at the top of the Mount Everest. I had reached the top of my writing skills! Hum, I was wrong. Standing on that mountain a helicopter flew over and the pilot informed me that I was not on the mountain I thought I was on—apparently that is a few hundred kilometers in a different direction. How did I end up here? Not to worry, I can tweak a couple of parameters and then apply my insights to the actual mountain I was standing on—assuming it is actually a mountain—has anyone checked?
After all those years of writing it turned out that I was just starting. 2 more years of struggling and pushing the boundaries in learning more about the scientific fields and how to find the correct words which are expressing both the complexity and the beauty of contemporary science, was what I still had in front of me.
Today, anno 2020, 4 books, 17 published issues of The Next Truth and over two dozen articles can be added to my leaning process. But have I reached that point in where I have aced my writing skills? May I tell myself that I am allowed to look out for the highest point of the Mount Everest?
In the second week of January 2020 I received an email from IWMF (International Woman’s Media Foundation) what stated that several grant proposals had been opened that provided me the opportunity to submit my proposal. Even this feeling of ‘is my English sufficient enough for this’ started to overpower me I was eager to start. So, I opened the form and, when scrolling to the bottom, I found that I needed two professional references. SH*T!
It took two days but I found two people willing to act as a reference. Yes…fantastic! Thank you so much. And so, the next day I started to write but what I did not knew in that euphoric moment was that writing this grant proposal turned out to become 3 days of pure Hell on Earth!
My surrounding did not understand me. Why was I putting in these tremendous efforts for something which I probably would not get anyway? “It is an uncertain factor, a waste of time! So, why all these efforts for nothing?“ Because I believe in myself, that is why!
Three days passed by of writing, rewriting and pushing my own boundaries…again because this was not the first time that I wrote into a grant proposal. I felt alone, not understood and my brain was slowly turning into something that looked like crumb cake. The moment I finally clicked the ‘submit‘ button, what was about 01:30 in the morning, I could no longer distinguish the letters from the words.
Three days after I started writing my grant proposal, I found myself staring at my computer screen reading these words “Your application has been submitted successfully” over and over again. There I was, tired and alone in the middle of the night and…I cried. I felt relieved, exited and shitty at the same time while dealing with these thoughts of not being selected as a candidate for this grant. People will say…”You see, it was all for nothing. You are just not good enough!”
Now, you can say, “Ah, there is that female thing again“, but in my opinion, these feelings are logical and normal. It does not show weakness, as some might think of that moment in where someone is expressing his/her emotions and/or thoughts; it shows that you are human first.
For those who write into grant proposals on a regular base, regardless the topic and financial amounts involved, you have my full respect because you have giving more then 100% of yourself.
[Top]The impact you have on other people’s lives
You know what fires me up and keeps me going? People who dare to look into the world and say; “What can I contribute? What can I give? I guarantee you, you will hear a voice that is saying; ‘It is just no uses. It is out of mine control’. There will be a voice telling you that: ‘You will be wasting your time, your energy and your efforts’. I advice you, do not listen to it. Rather listen to this whispering voice that says: ‘I CAN do something…and I am going to do it.”
I strongly believe that each one of us was born with a special skill. That each one of us was born to contribute something to life and that if we do not do share our skills…this knowledge will be lost forever. Be the one that want to contribute…to youth, the homeless or your neighbor.
If you get up in the morning and decide that, “I’m the open for the universe”, life can work through you as a channel and as an instrument for change. How will you serve the world? What do they need that your talent can provide? That is all you have to figure out. And I can tell you from experience, the effect you have on others is the most valuable currency there is.
You are ready and able to do beautiful things in this world!
After you walk through those doors today, you will only have two choices: love or fear. I would say, do not ever let fear turn you against your playful heart. Begin to see yourself as an opening for the universe, to move through, to work through and to make a difference in life.
It is easy to be positive when everything is working out but it is much harder…much much harder when you are facing challenges in your life. But that’s when we need it the most… to believe in what has yet to come.
Everything worth the prize is worth the fight. Everything worth the prize will require a real fight to achieve that prize. If you want the prize you cannot quit halftime, you cannot quit midseason. You must play the whole game preseason…through the cold, the darkness, through the challenges and the opponents. You will be knocked down of course but you must get up keep fighting no matter what your job throws at you. Dig deep and discover your true strength!
See yourself being used by life, to improve quality of life, to expand and to grow.
If you wait until you can do everything for everybody, instead of something for somebody, you will end up not doing nothing for nobody.
Be the change…the inspiration…you want to see!
[Top]In the spirit of the holiday season
The team of The Next Truth wishes you all a peaceful first advent. Have a marvelous time with your beloved ones.
The Next Truth; Young People Science
Good day every body,
After gaining an incredible support from both her contributors and the general public in the past year, The Next Truth has decided to take the next step and is going to expand its existence by publishing a second magazine; “The Next Truth; Young People Science”.
This magazine, what will be published every two month’s, will be focusing on both our next generation scientists and people who are less familiar with scientific terms and are curious to the myriad possibilities contemporary science has to offer.
With each new project, this one is also brining an avalanche of work what means that we have decided to remove the page “The Holy Trinity of our future selves” by the end of this week. But wait… a new FB page is under construction! 😊
You are more than welcome to check out “The Next Truth; Young People Science” and read all the upcoming awesome and fun scientific articles… written by scientists and for our next generation of engineers, astronomers, psychologists, chemists, physicists, among others, to have the change to stand up and unlock their enthusiasm and thus their brilliant minds.
To tease your curiosity a little bit, let me introduce to you one of the contributors of the first issue of the magazine via our new FB-page… Dr. Fiona Cross who is conducting research to SPIDERS! Soooooo creeeeepy! 😱 https://www.facebook.com/The-Next-Truth-Young-People-Science-110097887078796/?modal=admin_todo_tour
[Top]When the Messenger of Misery Visits You… What Will Keep You in the Game?
By Maria Anna van Driel, www.nextttruth.com
Life is a cruel system, is it not? Or should I say society is? You work hard…really hard…for days, weeks, months… you put all your energy in your field/lab research, your calculations or in finding the perfect words for your essay, thesis, book, article. During this period you slowly start to see a fabulous outcome. Yes…you are going to ace this for sure! Proudly you present the results of your hard work and then…reality kicks in. People say your calculations are gibberish, you have researched in the wrong direction and your book does not contain understandable grammar. F*CK!
Now you can throw all your notes out of the window from the highest building you can find and crawl into a deep and dark cellar hiding yourself from the world…getting consumed by this terrible feeling of disappointment. Okay, this sh*tty feeling is understandable but do really think you have failed?
Working as an investigative journalist in the midst of a variety of people, I see this happen every now and then but even this might sounds odd, there will never be a point in your life where it is the right time to do a great thing. If you are waiting for that perfect moment, that perfect timing, it is not going to happen. You have to create that perfect time, that perfect opportunity, and that perfect situation. When you are not, you are literally committing spiritual and intellectual suicide.
When you have a goal out here that you are stretching for and reaching for, that takes you out of your comfort zone, you will find out some talents and abilities you have that you didn’t know you have. There are things that you think you will never need to know, that you may only need to know one time in your life but unless you attempt to do something beyond that which you have already mastered, you will never grow. Pursuit your goal, don’t talk yourself out of it. You are phenomenal!
What reason can you remember, that you can call on, that you can reach on, that can make you get back up? Find that reason. I want you to make that dream you have to become a reality because if you don’t you will be working for somebody else to make their dreams become a reality.
Everybody is against you or don’t believe in you no more and let me tell you something: that is a lonely feeling what most people take their greatness, take their ideas to the graveyard with them. Indeed, the wealthiest place on the planet is the graveyard, because here we will find inventions that never, ever were exposed, ideas and dreams that never became reality, hopes and aspirations that were never acted upon. Question is, what are you going to do with your time? What drives you? Greatness is a lot of small things done well.
When things don’t work out for you, when things happen that you could not anticipate, what are the reasons that you can think of that can keep you strong? You will never ever be successful until you turn your pain into greatness, until you allow it to push you from where you are, to push you to where you need to be. Stop running and embrace your pain because it is going to be a part of your pride, a part of your amazing product.
Yes, it is easy to be on the bottom. It does not take any effort to be a loser and to stay down there on a low level but it calls on everything in you to harness your will to say; I’m going to challenge this stuff…my stuff!
And so, when life knocks you down try and land on your back, because if you can look up you can get up. If you want a thing bad enough to go out and fight for, to work day and night for, to give up your time, your peace, your sleep and making this your decade, you have got to start saying YES to your dreams and your unfolding future.
Believe it or not, you are going to be there one day, but you will never get there if you give up, if you give in and quit. You got to want to succeed as bad as you want the air you breathe.
Do you have the guts to fail?
Carpe Diem! Yes, it could be very frightening because it’s a mean world out there but you only live once so do what you feel passionate about. Take chances don’t be afraid to fail. Go outside the box. Don’t be afraid to go and think outside the box, and don’t be afraid to fail big. But remember, dreams without goals are just dreams and they ultimately fuel disappointment. So, have dreams but have goals and understand that to achieve these goals you must apply discipline and consistency every single day.
We all have different talents some of you are medical doctors, some lawyers, some scientists, some educators, some nurses. True desire lies in the heart, It’s that itch that you have whatever it is you want to do. So claim it, work hard to get it and when you get it, reach back and pull someone else up. Don’t just aspire to make a living…aspire to make a difference!
I found that nothing in life is worthwhile unless you take risks. There is no passion to be found playing small and settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living. I am sure, people told you to make sure you have something to fall back on. But if I’m going to fall I don’t want to fall ‘back’ on anything, I want to fall ‘forward’, figure at least this way I will see what I am going to hit. Falling forward? This is what I mean; Thomas Edison conducted 1,000 failed experiments because the 1,000 and first was the light bulb. Fall forward because every failed experiment is one step closer to success. You have got to take risks. And I am sure you have probably heard that before either. But why is that so important?
I got two reasons first you will fail…at some point in your life except you will lose, and you will suck at something there is no doubt about it. Embrace it because it’s inevitable!
(I was holding up a film camera)
As a journalist I failed so many times. Elevator-pitch after elevator-pitch, poor interviews and hundreds of article submissions gaining the same response saying, “Thank you for your submission, you will be hearing from us.” I didn’t get the job but here is the thing…I didn’t quit. I didn’t fall back instead I continued to fail and fail and fail. It didn’t matter because you know what…if you hang around the barbershop long enough, sooner or later, you will get a haircut. The point is…do you have the guts to fail?
My second point about failure; if you don’t fail you are not even trying to get something you never had. You have to do something you never did. Imagine you are on your deathbed and standing around your deathbed are the ghosts representing your unfulfilled potential. The ghosts of the ideas you never acted on, the talents you didn’t use and they are angry, disappointed and upset. They say; “We came to you because you could have brought us to life and now we have to go to the grave together.” So, I ask you today…how many ghosts are going to be around your bed when your time comes?
You got to get out there! You got to give everything you got whether it is your time, your talent, your prayers or your treasures because you will never see a u-haul behind a hearse.
Your life will never be a straight path because taking risks is not just about going for a job…it’s also about knowing what you know and what you don’t know. It is about being open to people into ideas and the chances you meet the people you might learn from. Never hold back, give everything you got! And when you fall throughout life, maybe even tonight after a few glasses of champagne, remember this…fall forward.
Only $2.20 for the Digital Version of the July Issue!!
http://www.magcloud.com/browse/magazine/1512517
The Next Truth has taken a new step into the world!
Via de website of the ‘Deutscher Verband der Presse Journalisten’ (DVPJ) we started to draw the English-speaking German public into this magical wonderland of science and make them aware of the wide versatility that contemporary science has to offer.
www.dv-p.org
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