Zahi Hawass Under Fire

In the News: Zahi Hawass, Egypt’s antiquities chief, is now being criticized for underplaying the damage and loss to the Egyptian Museum after a break-in on January 28. In contrast to his statements at that time, a number of high-profile artifacts are now declared missing. Archaeology graduates chanted "get out" outside Hawass’ office earlier this week. They have called him a “showman” who seeks publicity and plays with the truth.

Click here for the link to this report.

Update (2/16/2011): Three items recovered--a heart-shaped amulet of Tutankhamun’s grandfather, as well as his ushabti figurine were found at the back of the museum earlier this week.

New Israeli Stamp Featuring the Hebrew Language

In the news: Israel is issuing a new postage stamp dedicated to the Hebrew langauge. The center of the stamp features a seedling whose leaves spell the Hebrew word Ivrit (= "Hebrew"). Its roots consist of all the earlier layers of modern Hebrew found in four principal sources – the Bible, rabbinic literature, medieval writings, and Modern Hebrew. Biblical Hebrew is represented by an ostracon dating from the 7th century BCE and inscribed in ancient Hebrew script. The seedling’s root that derives from it (third from left) features the words: mishpaha (family), ahava (brotherhood), nefesh (soul, spirit, throat), mafteah (key), tsedek (justice), merkava (chariot), deror (liberty), kazav (untruth), ra’am (thunder) and kefir (lion cub).

“An Interpretation of the Death of Isaiah’s Servant”

Now in Print; Check it out:

Stephen L. Cook, “An Interpretation of the Death of Isaiah’s Servant” in The Bible as a Human Witness to Divine Revelation: Hearing the Word of God through Historically Dissimilar Traditions (ed. R. Heskett and B. Irwin; Gerald Sheppard Festschrift; Library of Hebrew Bible / Old Testament Studies 469; London and New York: T&T Clark, 2010), pp. 108-24.

Egyptian Antiquities Chief Says Sites Are Largely Secure

 

NYT report by KATE TAYLOR:
A vast majority of Egypt’s museums and archaeological sites are secure and have not been looted, Zahi Hawass, Egypt’s chief antiquities official, said in a telephone interview on Tuesday.
For the NY Times article, click here.