Saturday, March 29, 2014

Egyptian Donors Contribute LE52 Million to Giza Museum
A boat discovered from ancient Egypt. 
Nevine El-Aref, Thursday 20 Mar 2014

Al-Ahly Bank, Banque Misr and the Sawiris family contribute funds to the Grand Egyptian Museum

Less than twenty-four hours after launching a fundraising campaign for the under-construction Grand Egyptian Museum, contributions from Egyptian donors had reached a total of LE52 million.

Antiquities minister Mohamed Ibrahim said in a statement that Al-Ahly Bank had offered $1.5 million (LE10.5 million) to finance the construction work of the display building and another $3.5 million (LE24 million) for the museum’s library. Banque Misr has offered LE12 million to finance the equipment needed for the school associated with the museum, while the Sewiris family, one of Egypt’s richest business dynasties, contributed LE5 million.

Ibrahim toldAhram Online thatthe Ministry of Tourism has made its own contribution of LE5 million, to be paid at the end of 2014, and another amount of LE 25 million, which will be paid over five years.

The museum project is 65 percent funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency, which is providing a $300-million soft loan to be repaid over 30 years at an interest rate of 1.5 per cent.

Payments will be made in instalments after a 10-year grace period following the GEM's official inauguration. Another $27 million was donated by businessmen, while the Ministry of Culture provided $150 million.

The museum, located at the Giza plateau next to the pyramids, is due to open next year.

http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/97154.aspx


Skeleton from 5th ancient Egyptian dynasty found in Abusir

Nevine El-Aref, Monday 24 Mar 2014

A well preserved skeleton of a top governmental official from the fifth dynasty unearthed in Abusir, an archeological site near Cairo

A Czech archaeological team working on a site in Abusir on Monday unearthed the skeleton of a top governmental official, referred to as Nefer during studies carried out in his tomb after it was discovered last year.

Nefer held several titles in the royal palace and the government during the reign of the fifth dynasty king, Nefereer-Ka-Re. He was the priest of the king's funerary complex, the supervisor of the royal documents scribes and also of the house of gold.

Egypt's antiquities minister Mohamed Ibrahim said that the skeleton was found inside the deceased's sarcophagus, which was carved in limestone. A stone head rest was found under the skeleton's head.

Ali El-Asfar, head of the ministry's ancient Egyptian antiquities section, told Ahram Online that the tomb – discovered last year by the Czech mission led by Mirislav Barta – is an unfinished rock-hewn tomb within a funerary complex and consists of four corridors, with the eastern one devoted to Nefer and the other three for his family members.

Also found were five burial wells and a limestone false door engraved with the deceased's different titles.

http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/97465.aspx

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