How Egypt's Present Is Affecting Studies of Its Ancient Past

FAITH LAPIDUS: This is SCIENCE IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English. I’m Faith Lapidus.
BOB DOUGHTY¹: And I’m Bob Doughty. This week, we tell about a new report about alcohol abuse. And we tell how the recent political unrest in Egypt has affected² American archeologists who are working there.
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FAITH LAPIDUS: The World Health Organization says alcohol abuse is the third leading cause of death and disability in the world. WHO officials say the misuse³ of alcohol kills two million five hundred thousand people a year. And, the officials are calling for action to reduce the problem.
The WHO released the “Global Status Report on Alcohol and Health 2011” last month. The report shows young people at risk. It says three hundred twenty thousand people between the ages of fifteen and twenty-nine die each year from alcohol-related causes. That is nine percent of all deaths in that age group.
A man in front of a liquor store in Moscow last year
BOB DOUGHTY: Shekhar Saxena is director of the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse at the WHO. He says alcohol is responsible for one-third of the deaths among young people in some parts of the world.
SHEHAR SAXENA: “Consumption and harmful effects of alcohol are increasing in developing countries, particularly in Africa and Asia, which have less powerful regulations and which have less health services available.”
The World Health Organization report finds that six percent of all male deaths worldwide are linked to alcohol. This is true in only one percent of female deaths. The report says one in five men die from alcohol-related causes in the Russian Federation⁴ and neighboring countries.
FAITH LAPIDUS: There are four main causes of alcohol related death. Injury, from car accidents or violence, is one. The others are diseases like cirrhosis of the liver, cancer, heart and blood system diseases. The WHO report says alcohol abuse also adds to the development of two hundred other diseases.
Dr. Saxena says people who are dependent on alcohol live ten years less on average that those who do not have the problem.
The WHO has a plan to reduce the misuse of alcohol. It includes raising taxes on alcohol, reducing the number of businesses selling alcohol and raising the drinking age. Officials say other measures include better drunk driving laws and banning some alcohol advertising⁵.
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BOB DOUGHTY: Archeologists from several American universities left Egypt during the events leading up to the resignation of President Hosni Mubarak. But some archeologists and students are still working in Egypt, or they left but plan to return.
At least ten American organizations provide educational programs with a specialty⁶ in studies of ancient Egypt. Their students are among hundreds of people involved in current and recent Egyptian archeological projects.
Zahi Hawass, center, standing⁷ near a damaged coffin⁸ at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. He has announced plans to resign as head of the Ministry⁹ of State for Antiquities¹⁰.
FAITH LAPIDUS: Laurel Bestock is with Brown University in Rhode Island. Professor Bestock led five graduate students on a recent excavation¹¹ at Abydos, in southern Egypt. They worked there as part of a program with Yale University, the University of Pennsylvania and New York University.
The group left Egypt five days before the anti-government protests began. Professor Bestock says their return to the United States was not linked to the ouster of President Mubarak.
Abydos was one of the most important ancient cities in Upper Egypt. Archeologists have been working there for more than a century. But the area continues to give up secrets from thousands of years ago.
The Brown University group plans another visit to Egypt in December. Professor Bestock says, “There is no reason to believe that we will not return.”
BOB DOUGHTY: Archeologist Suzanne Onstine started her work in Egypt in January. She is working with two graduate students from the University of Memphis, in Tennessee. The three continued their project through the anti-Mubarak protests and his resignation. They are currently working at an excavation at Theban Tomb Sixteen. This is a burial place of an important official who served a king. It is on the west bank of the Nile River, opposite Luxor.
FAITH LAPIDUS: Some travel guides have described Luxor as the world’s largest "open-air museum." The area covers and surrounds the place where the city of Thebes once stood. Luxor is about six hundred forty four kilometers south of Cairo.
Lorelei Corcoran directs the Institute of Art and Archeology at the University of Memphis. She heard reports of objects being destroyed in the Luxor area as her team worked there. Professor Corcoran says the school community was tense and worried about their people during the anti-government unrest. Archeologists from the University of Chicago also remained at work in Luxor during the unrest.
BOB DOUGHTY: Jay Van Rensselaer was also at Luxor when the protests began. Mr. Van Rensselaer works as a photographer, taking pictures of artifacts for Johns Hopkins University in Maryland. He was with Johns Hopkins students and group leader Betsy Bryan at the time of the protests. They were working in the Temple of Mut Precinct.
The photographer says he left the dig on January twenty-eighth for Cairo. He waited at the city’s crowded airport, where he was able to get a flight to the United States. Several others remained at Luxor for a few days. Then they returned to Maryland.
Mr. Van Ransselaer says he is hopeful about the future of foreign archeology there. He believes the new government will welcome foreign research teams.
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FAITH LAPIDUS: All archeology programs operating in Egypt need permission from the government to work in the country. Scientist Zahi Hawass had led the Supreme¹² Council of Antiquities for years when the government changed.
Last week, Mr. Hawass announced plans to resign from his position as head of the Ministry of State for Antiquities Affairs. He also expressed deep sadness about criminal attacks on the country’s archeological treasures. On his blog, he identified more than twenty areas that have been robbed or suffered damage after huge protests began.
His comments came after the appointment of a new prime minister, Essam Sharaf. Egypt’s military rulers asked Mr. Sharaf to lead the government.
BOB DOUGHTY: Zahi Hawass was appointed to his cabinet-level position in January, shortly before the protests forced President Hosni Mubarak to resign. For almost ten years before that, the archeologist had served as chief antiquities official.
Mr. Hawass is often described as a colorful leader who has brought Egypt’s long-ago past to the attention of the world. He has appeared in many television programs that tell about his nation’s monuments and mummified remains¹³.
Mr. Hawass has made many discoveries. He sent artifacts from young King Tutankhamen and his family to a number of foreign museums. Some observers say that through his efforts, foreigners have brought billions of dollars into his nation.
Mr. Hawass also has fought for return of art objects that he says belong in Egypt, where they were found. A good example is the Rosetta Stone. It is now at the British Museum in London. Writing in three ancient languages on the stone contains a declaration made for King Ptolemy the Fifth. Mr. Hawass has promised to make life unpleasant for museums that he believes have unlawfully kept Egyptian art objects.
FAITH LAPIDUS: But Mr. Hawass has recently come under criticism. During the anti-government protests, a small demonstration¹⁴ took place near Mr. Hawass’ office. About one hundred fifty Egyptian archeology students and workers demanded that he resign. They accused him of corruption¹⁵ and treating employees unfairly. They said that not enough jobs are available in archeology in Egypt.
Critics of Zahi Hawass also noted¹⁶ how he reacted to attacks on the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. The museum sits on Tahrir Square, where the large demonstrations¹⁷ took place. At first, he said no objects were stolen from the museum during the unrest. But he later said that a number of objects were missing or broken.
Other experts defend Mr. Hawass. Peter Lacovara is Egypt, Nubia and the Near East curator for the Michael C. Carlos Museum of Emory University in Georgia. He says it would have taken some time to discover losses and damage in the Egyptian Museum. Mr. Lacovara also praises Zahi Hawass for improving the administration of archeology of Egypt. And he says Mr. Hawass has brought the study of the ancient world into the twenty-first century.
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BOB DOUGHTY: This SCIENCE IN THE NEWS was written by Jerilyn Watson and Caty Weaver¹⁸. Our producer was June Simms. I’m Bob Doughty.
FAITH LAPIDUS: And I’m Faith Lapidus. Listen again next week for more news about science in Special English on the Voice of America.

1 doughty   

adj.勇猛的，坚强的

参考例句：

• Most of successful men have the characteristics of contumacy and doughty.绝大多数成功人士都有共同的特质：脾气倔强，性格刚强。
• The doughty old man battled his illness with fierce determination.坚强的老人用巨大毅力与疾病作斗争。

2 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

3 misuse   

n.误用，滥用；vt.误用，滥用

参考例句：

• It disturbs me profoundly that you so misuse your talents.你如此滥用自己的才能，使我深感不安。
• He was sacked for computer misuse.他因滥用计算机而被解雇了。

4 federation   

n.同盟，联邦，联合，联盟，联合会

参考例句：

• It is a federation of 10 regional unions.它是由十个地方工会结合成的联合会。
• Mr.Putin was inaugurated as the President of the Russian Federation.普京正式就任俄罗斯联邦总统。

5 advertising   

n.广告业；广告活动 a.广告的；广告业务的

参考例句：

• Can you give me any advice on getting into advertising? 你能指点我如何涉足广告业吗?
• The advertising campaign is aimed primarily at young people. 这个广告宣传运动主要是针对年轻人的。

6 specialty   

n.(speciality)特性，特质；专业，专长

参考例句：

• Shell carvings are a specialty of the town.贝雕是该城的特产。
• His specialty is English literature.他的专业是英国文学。

7 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

8 coffin   

n.棺材，灵柩

参考例句：

• When one's coffin is covered,all discussion about him can be settled.盖棺论定。
• The coffin was placed in the grave.那口棺材已安放到坟墓里去了。

9 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

10 antiquities   

n.古老( antiquity的名词复数 )；古迹；古人们；古代的风俗习惯

参考例句：

• There is rest and healing in the contemplation of antiquities. 欣赏古物有休息和疗养之功。 来自辞典例句
• Bertha developed a fine enthusiasm for the antiquities of London. 伯沙对伦敦的古迹产生了很大的热情。 来自辞典例句

11 excavation   

n.挖掘，发掘；被挖掘之地

参考例句：

• The bad weather has hung up the work of excavation.天气不好耽误了挖掘工作。
• The excavation exposed some ancient ruins.这次挖掘暴露出一些古遗迹。

12 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

13 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

14 demonstration   

n.表明，示范，论证，示威

参考例句：

• His new book is a demonstration of his patriotism.他写的新书是他的爱国精神的证明。
• He gave a demonstration of the new technique then and there.他当场表演了这种新的操作方法。

15 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

16 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

17 demonstrations   

证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威

参考例句：

• Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。
• The new military government has banned strikes and demonstrations. 新的军人政府禁止罢工和示威活动。

18 weaver   

n.织布工；编织者

参考例句：

• She was a fast weaver and the cloth was very good.她织布织得很快，而且布的质量很好。
• The eager weaver did not notice my confusion.热心的纺织工人没有注意到我的狼狈相。