Cleopatra\'s tomb found?

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

I had heard some years back the necropolis at Alexandria was flooded, and after flying over the city a couple of years back in a helicopter, I do not doubt it, as there seemed to be a great deal of dank water laying in the streets and surface areas. This also may be a hopefull sign, as it may indicate a constant situation, as opposed to a flutuation between flood and dryed out. :o

[Jona Lendering]

And guess what's back in the news? :wink:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8000978.stm

I don't know. I wonder what good all this press and speculation does. I would think it would be more prudent to be cautious on who could be in the tomb.

Exactly; this report gets many point on the Ctesias Scale of Poor Archaeological Journalism.

However, do I think Zahi Hawass is quite entertaining, and I always like to watch him on documentaries.

No, he isn't that funny any more. Look here for a set of Anti-Semitic remarks; go here for his refutation; which becomes unplausible once you have read this. It is pretty shocking.

[PhilusEstilius]

I think that I am inclined to agree with David and say let us wait and see, for there is even the theory she did not even commit suicide after all but was put to death by Augustus so could she be under the Med' in the old Alexandria as where her temple is.

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

Then of course, there is the theory, she is in the Bahamas with Elvis, having a good old laugh at all the hoo-ha! :roll:

[Epictetus]

No, he isn't that funny any more. Look here for a set of Anti-Semitic remarks; go here for his refutation; which becomes unplausible once you have read this. It is pretty shocking.

Wow. I didn't know that.

Now CNN has gotten into the act of reporting on this. In recent years I've noticed a curious trend towards some archeology being (seemingly) directed towards a broad general public. There are incidents like this where people talk about what they might find - which is always something dramatic. Speaking of dramatics, there seems to be a tendancy towards high-profile efforts of tying finds to famous people: Cleopatra's sister's bones, Antony and Cleopatra's grave, the bust of Julius Caesar found in a river...

Eh. I'm torn. I like the broad interest, but sometimes I question the motives of these things, which often seem to be publicity stunts.

Edit: Speaking of dramatics, didn't Hawass open some tomb in a live broadcast? I seem to remember something of that nature.

[texascavtrooper]

Edit: Speaking of dramatics, didn't Hawass open some tomb in a live broadcast? I seem to remember something of that nature.[/quote]

Yes he did. It was a couple of years ago now but yes he did. It was neat but a little over done.
Bryan

[john m roberts]

Old Zahi does love the camera, doesn't he?

[Epictetus]

The New York Times is running an op-ed about Cleopatra today.

I thought this was a good quote:

Of course we mean to resolve the unresolved. We clamor for the black box of history. In some essential way we want confirmation too that we live on the same planet as did the legend that inspired two millenniums of overheated prose, that what feels like myth was really history. We thirst for exactitudes. We want to see and fondle the myth in all its scintillating splendor, forgetting that as we do so it turns back — the reverse Midas touch — into the dross of history. If and when we find Cleopatra, if and when a face can be fitted to her, do we promise to give up Elizabeth Taylor once and for all? Will we opt for the lady or the legend? Is something lost when she is found? Octavian had his agenda, and we have ours.

[Doc]

I always though the same as others on this thread about Zahi. At first he may strike people as the emminent authority. But as mentioned, how can anyone know every single detail over a 5000 year period. Surely there are experts in various time periods.

I encountered the same thing when I was doing research. I once worked with a chemist that was a jack of all trades and a master of none. Some of the things he would say about chemical systems was shocking and down right obtuse. However, since his mentor won the Nobel Prize, anyone applying to work with him thought that they were going to meet this great genius that would teach them the secrets of the universe. When I went to work there for one year, I found myself constantly saying to him: No, No, No, it does not work.

[Celtic505]

I would love to hear they found her tomb, especially Marc Antony's as well, but if it was just hers Id be equally excited. I think she is a very interesting figure, to have seduced Cesar and Antony and be the object of Octavian and so many Romans hatred is quite interesting and fascinating to me. I would love to see a reconstruction based on any mummified skeletal remains and see how she really looked. That would be something. I wonder if they found Marc Antonys tomb if it would have his armor in there as well? Did they Hellenistic rulers of Egypt bury their leaders with all of their belongings like they did with the old rulers of the middle and new kingdom egypt? If so perhaps we would have a Roman musculata and attic helmet perhaps? Maybe I'm going way overboard but I think it could happen.