Zahi Hawass
EgyptBiography of Zahi Hawass
Zahi Hawass is an Egyptian archaeologist and historian of Ancient Egypt. He is also an Egyptologist and the Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities in Egypt. He has worked on archaeological excavations in the Nile Delta, Western Desert, and Upper Nile Valley.
Early Life and Education
Hawass was born in Damietta, Egypt. Initially, he had plans to become a lawyer but later became fascinated with Roman and Greek archaeology while studying at Alexandria University. He obtained his bachelor's degree in archaeology from Alexandria University and later received a diploma in Egyptology from Cairo University. In 1987, Hawass earned his doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania.
Career
After completing his doctorate, Hawass focused on studying Egyptian history and culture. He worked primarily at the American University in Cairo and the University of California, Los Angeles. In 1993, he left his position as Chief Inspector of the Giza Pyramid Plateau but returned in 1994 as the Director of the entire plateau. In 2002, Hawass was appointed as the Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities.
Hawass has been involved in various television projects on channels like National Geographic Channel, The History Channel, and Discovery Channel. He has appeared in episodes of the popular American show 'Digging for the Truth', where he discussed mummies, pyramids, Tutankhamun, Cleopatra, and Rameses II. He also worked on the segment about the curse of Tutankhamun's tomb in the show 'Unsolved Mysteries'.
In February 2006, Hawass, along with Egyptologist Otto Schaden, worked on the excavation of the KV63 tomb, the first untouched burial found in the Valley of the Kings since 1922. In June 2007, Hawass announced that he and his team had likely identified the mummy from the KV60 tomb as the legendary Egyptian ruler Hatshepsut.
Hawass has also collaborated with several prominent Egyptologists to create the documentary project 'Egypt's Ten Greatest Discoveries'. He is known for his strong stance on preserving Egyptian cultural heritage and has been involved in controversies, such as the cancellation of the reopening ceremony of the restored Maimonides Synagogue in Cairo in 2010.
In his written statement, he cited potential offense to millions of Muslims in Egypt and worldwide due to the planned Jewish ceremony, which included dancing and wine consumption. Hawass later explained that his decision was influenced by the occupation of many Muslim holy sites by Israelis and described his actions as a "strong slap to hostile Zionism".
