Jordanian Tourism: On the Decline

After seeing some pictures of Jordanian antiquities, I'm convinced hordes of people should be flocking to Jordan now. This is a dim view apparently.

According to reports from the Central Bank of Jordan, tourism numbers are down, yet tourism earnings are up.  It's deceptively positive: the baseline for 2011 was so low, that any increase is being compared against essentially nothing.  Jordan is now focusing on attracting high income visitors, which is completely in line with our last class discussion: “Jordan does not wish to be a volume-driven attraction like Egypt."

With the plans to construct the new boulevards and wealth attractions in Amman,it looks as if Jordan is following through.  Yet I only wonder if modernity, technology, and money will get in the way of preservation and appreciation. 

Spoke Too Soon

Hey he's back! Apparently, Dr. Hawass will be appearing on an episode of "Curiosity," in which he will be continuing the hunt for Nefertiti's mummy.

I vaguely remember a past Discovery special in which they found Nefertiti's mummy, but then again what do I know.

Discovery in the Valley of the Kings

Archaeologists have identified the largest sarcophagus in the Valley of the Kings as belonging to the Pharaoh Merneptah, who was reburied years ago.  The sarcophagus has been in pieces for 3,000 years, and is a set of four with the largest towering 8 feet high and 13 feet long.

To me, what is even more interesting, is the zero mentions for my good friend Dr. Zahi Hawass, who was apparently not involved at all in the project. The twilight of the dictator archaeologist? I haven't heard anything about him recently so possibly....

Also, apparently Merneptah was responsible for the first recorded use of the term "Israel" to describe the people he attached in the Levant.

History Channel Historians

The History Channel was much more amazing when I was younger; now I hate it.  It gives a platform to these people, who are either lunatics or fantastic con men.  It brings back memories of some man and his theories on how the plagues of Egypt during the Book of Exodus could have happened.

His credentials are shoddy, and his debts are growing, yet David Elkington maintains his find to be legitimate, despite growing opposition from reputable authorities.  Again, off topic, but since this journey has trodden on my childhood impressions of history, then why not.

Israel Continued...

This article appeared under several news sites, but every link to organizations like ABC and BBC apparently is broken.  For the first time since the Gulf War in 1991, several Tel Aviv museums are moving works of art into secure underground vaults as tensions with the Palestinians escalate.

It fits in well with the previous article detailing preservation efforts in the country, as if answering my ponderings about how Israel manages the protection of their treasures through volatile times.  It reminds of a novel I once read, "People of the Book," in which a Sarajevo museum desperately tries to preserve its Haggadah from war and looters.

My favorite quote: "If they survived 800 years before they got here, we have to do the utmost, for the good of humanity, so they will survive at least another 500 years."

Israeli Historic Preservation

At this point I'm really running off the rails of what this blog is dedicated to, yet I couldn't pass over this story about historic preservation efforts in Israel.  Most of the efforts currently surround cataloging and preserving the British Mandate Antiquities Department, which is incredibly extensive.  A digitization process will follow.

Preservation fascinates me, mostly because I became heavily involved with the subject when I was a member of my local historical commission.  The amount of precision, work, and expense that is required to preserve historic documents is astounding.  In Sandwich, MA, a huge chunk of our documents were stored in an old, decrepit bank vault underground, when they required a facility with heavy ventilation, boxes, and new shelving units.  The digitization process is still ongoing, and only came after a huge cataloging effort across five or six repositories throughout town.  I'm greatly heartened that Israel is taking this on, even in the midst of recent tensions.

State of Tourism: "It's Bad"

Things aren't looking good for Egypt: the article quotes Antiquities Minister Muhammed Ibrahim as lamenting the loss of tourists to the daily protests and social actions.  Numbers of visitors to the Pyramids and the Temple at Abu Simbel are far below their usual count at this point in the year, and under fifty people visited the city of Alexandria this past week.

It's confirmation that now really is the time to go to Egypt.  Almost makes me want to bail on Christmas and just hop on a flight.....

Antiquities Abroad

This isn't really relevant to anything I've discussed prior, however is it illustrative of the continuing problem faced by countries like Egypt and Greece among others.

When I first saw the headline, I assumed a recovered artifact was returning to Egypt.  My thinking progressed to wondering how the Egyptian government in its current state could handle antiquities recovery.  Of course I was wrong, and it's another case of artifacts from one country being displayed in another.  This isn't a commentary on the merits of that practice; I'm fine with the Rosetta Store and the Elgin Marbles being displayed in Britain.  However it's more a story of my reactions to headlines, and a little over-hoping about the state of antiquities in Egypt.

This article was also from Fox News.  I always feel they are more fair and balanced when it's not political.

Pyramid Threat Continued

This is more or less another follow up to my previous post regarding the Islamist extremist designs against the pagan symbolism of the Pyramids of Giza.  An article in Al-Arabiya reports that the Egyptian government is taking these threats seriously, specifically the words of Sheikh al-Gohary.  Moreover, worries persist that Salafi groups will exert influence over new guidelines surrounding Egyptian antiquities.

This would be disastrous.  Heritage tourism is the major underpinning of the Egyptian economy, and the destruction of such an important source of revenue would be unacceptable fanaticism.  As I recognize my Western perspective, I continue to be amazed at how practical thinking is ignored, and it seems analogous to Tea Party Republicans like Todd Akin making stupid comments about rape.

Archaeological Wonders in Yemen

Yemeni City of Shibam

In a story that closely mirrors the myth of England's Stonehenge, archaeologist Nadia Durrani describes peculiar and largely unexpected stone monoliths which pepper the Tihamah Plain in Yemen.  Though it is not tied to the Arab Spring, the Current World Archaeology article ponders why the stone spires were placed there, and moreover, how, especially since there is no immediate and consistent source of stone in the coastal plain.

I also included a picture of Shibam, which we discussed in class.  It turned me onto what wonders there are in Yemen, which is usually discussed in the context of growing terrorist activities and recent uprisings.  Yemen has an incredibly valuable resource in these ancient establishments, and the Yemeni government could do well to secure them, and increase marketing and travel to them.  The images of Shibam are probably some of the most magnificent architectural undertakings I have seen, and I cannot imagine how or why the Yemeni government would not capitalize on them.