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From: UFO UpDates - Toronto <updates@globalserve.net>
Date: Thu, 15 Jan 1998 22:30:20 -0500
Fwd Date: Thu, 15 Jan 1998 22:30:20 -0500
Subject: Zahi Hawass on Art Bell/14 Jan 98
From: http://www.ufomind.com/ufo/media/mailing/archive/iufo/msg04209.shtml
IUFO Mailing List
Zahi Hawass on ArtBell/14Jan98
From: jjeff@alpha1.gwdi.com
Subject: IUFO: Zahi Hawass on ArtBell/14Jan98
Date: Thu, 15 Jan 98 21:39:23 +0000
- SearchNet's IUFO Mailing List
Eygptian Director of the Giza Plateau, Dr. Zahi Hawass, was on
Art Bell radio show for 2Hrs Wednesday , the night of 14-JAN-98.
I also heard the entire show; Mr. David Billington has already
given a very good synopsis (re-posted below); I can attest to his
reporting accurracy. I will give further quotes from Zahi Hawass,
and some of my own commentary.
.jj. <Jon D. Jefferson
-----------------------------------------------
From: davidpb@leonardo.net (David Billington)
Subject: Dr. Hawass
-----------------------------------------------
I just finished listening to the two-hour interview with Zahi
Hawass on American radio (1/14 between 10-12 PM). The
interviewer, Art Bell, asked Dr. Hawass (1) why permission to
drill the cavity under the front Sphinx paw has been denied, (2)
whether the wellshaft between the Sphinx and the Khafra Pyramid
has been excavated in the last seven days, (3) what has been
going on in the Khufu Pyramid, (4) whether any evidence of a
pre-existing civilization has been found at Giza, and (5) whether
there is any connection between Giza and the American space
agency NASA or the alleged pyramids on Mars. There were some
other matters but I think these were the main points covered.
On (1), Hawass observed that Stanford Research Institute drilled
the location under the front paw in 1977 and found nothing, so
another penetration of the rock was unnecessary. More definite
evidence than radar or sonar would in his view be needed to
justify any further drilling in the Sphinx enclosure. Apparently
Dr. Schor never had a license in his own name to visit Giza;
Florida State University had the license and still has it
according to Dr. Hawass.
On (2), the "sarcophagus lid" that Boris Said and Tom Dobecki
found in the wellshaft 100 feet down was apparently lifted last
week and nothing was found underneath except the water table,
although later in the interview Hawass said that further
exploration might occur. He did not explain, nor did Bell ask,
exactly what this "sarcophagus lid" was. Bell apparently learned
of this excavation privately and sprang it on Hawass, but
apparently the latter already knew about it and said that the
excavation was connected with routine work of some kind.
On (3), Hawass disclosed that his staff had cleaned the chambers
above the King's Chamber to look for inscriptions. I was unable
to hear or understand exactly what he said but he seemed to be
saying that nothing anomalous was found. There may have been
some inscription that prompted the cleaning, which entailed the
removal of some dust or stone. Hawass also disclosed that he is
now planning to open the Gantenbrink door. The Khufu Pyramid
will be closed for six months in 1998 for work to undo the
humidity damage of tourism, although he said that New Age groups
would be allowed in for brief periods to meditate.
Archaeological work will also continue in the Khufu Pyramid
during the restoration.
On (4), Hawass stated that to this date no evidence of Atlantis
or another preexisting civilization has been found at Giza. He
declared his willingness to accept such evidence if any appears.
On (5), Dr. Hawass said he has never met a NASA official and that
he knew of no connection with Mars.
Dr. Hawass will attend a cruise along the west coast of North
America that will go up to Alaska in May. The cruise will
include a debate moderated by Bell that will include Hancock,
Bauval, Ed Krupp, and the American psychic Dannion Brinkley.
The impression I had was that Dr. Hawass wants to address the
concerns that have been raised abroad about Giza archaeology and
he wants to dispel the unfavorable public image he has acquired
among those with such concerns. I had the impression that Hawass
was tactful with some details but that he was not really
concealing anything of importance, although it is possible that
he thought the wellshaft might have been connected to something
of interest. Bell didn't press him about this.
The debate on a cruise ship near Alaska (an unusual place to
debate Egypt)(but no more unusual I suppose than anything else
surrounding Giza!) next May will hopefully bring a fuller airing
of the controversies in recent years if Dr. Hawass attends. I
would expect the results to be made public. I will be revising
my own web update page to delete some things now.
Cheers,
David
---------------------------------------------------------------
It should be noted here that Art Bell referred to himself as a
"moderator" , not really as a journalist doing a true indepth
investigative report; this has to do with the "cruise debate"
referenced above. Thus, many significant points that were raised
during the interview that warranted followup questions , were not
followed through very thoroughly. Cause in point #1.: the
Gantenbrink Door in the Queen's Chamber of the Great Pyramid.
Hawass said that they are "in progress of trying to find out what
is behind the door. We will know what is behind it by May of this
year."
Something so important an issue as this begs the followup
questions, such as: are the Egyptians going to do so by
themselves? HOW? Is such work in progress at this time? If not ,
WHEN, and by WHOM?. No such questions were asked, and NO further
details were given by Mr. Hawass, even after one caller brought
up the subject for further clarification. It seems to me that
Bell would rather have such information released to the public on
the May cruise, which he heavily advertises on his show.
On John A. West, Hawass had this to say: "I have nothing against
him personally. I am not his enemy". He went on to say that West
would be granted exploratory accsess to the Giza sites, only if
he was associated with an already accredited University or
Institution recognized by the Egyptian Government. When asked by
Bell as to the status of Robert Bauval and G.Hancock, the answer
was the same. Mr. West has publicly confirmed the above. Hawass
also stated that these people would never be denied access to the
Giza sites as individuals. "They are always allowed accsess to
Giza", he said.
Some further, general quotes by Dr. Hawass:
-------------------------------------------
The Luxor massascre: "An accident. It will never happen again,
because security is now very tight".
On alledged on-going secret excavations, and "coverups", at Giza:
ZW: "I try to reveal the truth. My mission is to reveal the truth".
"I am not a bad guy. I am not hiding evidence".
However, "when I discover something, I don't announce it in
the first minute", he said.
"If there ever is anything [new] found [while excavating], we
will let the people know".
"I don't want to drill a hole for a TV movie; I want to drill
a hole for science".
On the Sphinx:
ZW: "On the north side is a tunnel, first opened in 1926.
We would like to reopen it again, to go underneath the
Sphinx".
(no further details on this, either).
ZW: "No one [is stopping me from doing any new excavations]; I
had to restore the 'sick' Sphinx. The Sphinx is [now] smiling;
the Sphinx is saved; the Sphinx is restored, and is to be
reopened to the public again".
ZW: "We are just guardians of the monuments. They belong to the
whole world". "Anyone who wants to enter the Great Pyramid will
be granted access. New age groups are welcome".
"The pyramids were plundered. There is evidence that they were
tombs, representing the power of the Pharoahs".
"When I enter inside the Great Pyramid, I feel like I am entering
the most sacred place in the world. The pyramids and the Sphinx
should have dignity and respect ; power and magic".
The pyramids were built as a "national project of the Egyptian
peoples", said Hawass, when questioned by Bell as to who he
thought built them.
On the newly opened Tombs of the Workers, Dr. Hawass stated that
"the bones and skeletons: they are all Egyptians. Genetic studies
will be done by the Univeristy of Hawaii, beginning later this
month".
As to the alledged secret excavations in the GP's relieving
chambers, Hawass had this to say: "We were just cleaning the five
rooms. I found only one inscription, nothing else. I did not find
anything else. The five rooms where full of stones, and I cleaned
them out, that's all".
Art Bell: "Has there ever been anything discovered at Giza that
goes against orthodox Egyptology?".
Z.Hawass: "Not one single piece of evidence to prove anything of
a 'lost civilization. Not one piece of evidence of Atlantis.
Nothing". "If I am [proven] wrong, fine. Until you prove to me
that I am wrong, I am right. You have to prove to me 100% that
there is something [else] there. I am not trying to hide
anything".
Art Bell: "Have NASA officials ever bben to Giza that you have met?"
Z.Hawass: "No. Never any officials, only Egyptologists. I never met
anyone from NASA. Ever".
---------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary:
I agree with David Billington's assessment that Zahi Hawass is
intentionally playing "nice", mending fences with everyone, and
to clear his "bad-boy" despot reputation with the international
community. He now knows that this is the only way to gain
world-wide acceptance of his own work, and given the drastic
cut-back in tourism due to the Luxor massacre, this must be with
the insistance of the Mubarak government also. They need the cash
flow of foreign dollars, and the Giza Plateau still remains the
key linchpin for tourism. It is in Egyptian national interest
that Mr. Hawass now be cordial to well known independent writers
and researchers, as well as the general public for that matter.
The tragedy at Luxor has seen to that. Horrible as those deaths
were, perhaps their legacy to the world will be that a crack in
the secretive door of Ancient Egyptian explorations has now
opened up.
We must now continue to watch how the story unfolds as to the
Ganterbrink Door and the still undisclosed further exacavations
in and around the Sphinx area. This latest interview to a wide
American radio audience failed to get the answers we still are
all awating from the newly rehabilitated "nice-guy" , the ever
elusive Dr. Zahi Hawass.
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