Priceless Heritage Goes Up in Egyptian Flames; Rosetta Stone and Nefertiti Bust Safe

This past weekend's disgusting display of brutality and violence once again on the streets of Cairo, sadly has left the world a much emptier place. On the street where people were inhumanely beaten dead or unconscious with sticks and raw boots to the head, an historic building containing some of the world's great treasures burned helplessly.

The building, the Egyptian Insitute, was founded by Napoleon Bonaparte during the French Campaign in 1798. It housed 200,000 books and documents, of which an estimated 40,000 were rare manuscripts including an original copy of the ‘Description de l'Egypte’ written by the scientists of the French campaign to Egypt (1798-1801). All lost to humanity, thanks to a molotov cocktail.

Tragic fires can happen anywhere in the world as can riots as was witnessed on the streets of London this past summer. But thousands of miles away from the flames that obliterated more of the world's important historical heritage in Cairo, the bust of Nefertiti, the Rosetta Stone, the Elgin Marbles and other priceless cultural objects were safe and sound. But clearly, future generations are best served when cultural patrimony is not concentrated in any single country.

Click here for an account of the fire in Egypt.

Comments

[Doughboy]

I'm not eslaiy impressed but you've done it with that posting.

[Lenfan]

I also find Akhenaten fascinating. You raise an ineettsring point on whether his switch to a monotheistic religion was a political move or truly religious. I also think it must have been a combination of religion and politics. Perhaps he had a personal problem with a priest from a specific temple and instead of taking his wrath out on just the individual he eliminated the gods themselves. That is obviously an oversimplified example but it is hard to say for sure what exactly prompted this widespread change. Akhenaten’s actions affected more than just his life, as it has been theorized that Tutankhamun’s untimely death may have been a result of him reversing his father’s decision. I feel that the broken leg theory is much more accurate but that proves that Akhenaten’s decision tainted more than just his reign.It is ineettsring though that when Nefertiti is mentioned that it is only because of her beauty and not due to her involvement in her husband’s controversy of which she had to have been a part. It is unlikely that it will ever be known how much of a part she had, whether she had an actual role in the switch, just went along with her husband or tried to ignore the whole thing. Perhaps that is best for her reputation but it would be nice to know what happened to her.