Another Good Day for the Ministry of Antiquities

Illegal construction after Revolution

Published on 23 May 2011

Author(s): Zahi Hawass

Type:  Blog

I am happy to say that we completed another great mission today with the help of the police and the military. Today, we cleared about 22 monuments on the West Bank of Luxor that had been attacked by illegal building activity in the days following the revolution. Many people built houses or expanded their Alabaster factories over the archaeological sites and tombs.

One of the worst examples of this was a house built between two of the most famous nobles’ tombs on the West Bank - the tomb of Rekhmire and the tomb of Ramose. Not only are these buildings dangerous to the sites, but they were also built illegally and without permits.

My team of inspectors on the West Bank, along with members of the police and the Army, began work at 7am today. Through great cooperation, they had removed all of the illegal structures from the sites by 3pm. Many people who built these structures were not happy with our team for removing them.

However, it is important that we send a message that even though we have had a Revolution, we must still work hard to keep our antiquities sites safe and clean. It is the responsibility of all Egyptians, not only the government. Today we took major steps to return Luxor to the way it was before these incursions. We are very happy today - Luxor is clean again!

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