Egypt Looks to Ancient Finds to Bring Tourists Back

In Egypt, workers dig and remove sand to create a new opening at a busy archaeological site outside of Cairo. They are at the bottom of the Step Pyramid of Djoser, probably the world's oldest pyramid. This new dig has found many additional¹ artifacts.

As the world slowly recovers from the coronavirus pandemic, Egypt has been trying for months to persuade visitors to come to its archaeological locations and museums. Officials are hoping the new discovery will bring in the visitors – and their money.

But like countries elsewhere², Egypt continues to battle the coronavirus. It is struggling to get its people vaccinated³. In early May, the government announced that 1 million people had been vaccinated, though that number is believed to be higher now.

Meanwhile, officials have continued to tell the world about their new discoveries.

In November, archaeologists announced the discovery of at least 100 coffins⁵ dating back to the Pharaonic Late Period and Greco-Ptolemaic era⁶. They also found 40 gold-covered statues thought to have been buried 2,500 years ago. A month earlier, they discovered 57 additional coffins at the same place, the necropolis of Saqqara that includes the Step Pyramid.

"Saqqara is a treasure," Tourism and Antiquities⁷ Minister Khaled el-Anany told The Associated Press. He estimated⁸ that only 1 percent of the treasures hidden there have been found.

In April, Zahi Hawass, Egypt's best-known archaeologist, announced the discovery of a 3,000-year-old lost city in southern Luxor. It has the remains⁹ of houses, tools and other artifacts that date to Amenhotep III of the 18th dynasty. He ruled from 1390-1353 BC. This was Egypt's golden age.

That discovery was followed by a televised parade celebrating the moving of 22 royal mummies to their new home: the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization. It is a large, new building just south of the capital.

The Red Sea town of Sharm el-Sheikh is well-liked by visitors, and is now home to a new archaeological museum. The Cairo International Airport also houses a new museum. Officials have said they plan to open the new Grand Egyptian Museum next to the Giza Pyramids by January. Prices to enter archaeological sites have been lowered, as has the cost of visas to enter the country.

In 2019, foreign visitors brought an estimated $13 billion to the country as some 13.1 million people came to see its museums and archaeological sites.

But in 2020, only 3.5 million foreign visitors came, minister el-Anany said. He added that the number of visitors had increased in the first months of 2021, but he gave no exact numbers.

"Egypt is a perfect destination for post-COVID," el-Anany said, adding that most of the places to visit are "open air."

It is, however, unclear if Egypt has the virus under control.

It has recorded more than 15,000 deaths and is still seeing more than a thousand new cases every day. Numbers are thought by many to be much higher. Officials have arrested doctors and others who question the government's actions or numbers.

Egypt closed its borders completely until the summer of 2020, but later welcomed visitors back. They were permitted first to visit Red Sea towns. Now, they can go to the heart of the country: Cairo and the Nile River Valley that holds most of its famous archaeological sites. Visitors still require a COVID-19 test result to enter the country.

Amanda, a 39-year-old from Austria, returned to Egypt in May. It was her second visit in four years.

"Once they opened, I came," she said. "It was my dream to see the Pyramids again."

Words in This Story

archaeology¹⁰ – n. the study of past human life and activities by examining bones, tools, etc., of ancient people

pyramid – n. a large structure with a three- or four-sided base and sides that meet in a point at the top

artifact – n. an object (such as a tool or weapon) that was made by people in the past

coffin⁴ – n. a box in which a dead body is buried

dynasty – n. a series of rulers from the same family

mummy – n. a dead body covered in cloth, especially from ancient Egypt

destination – n. the place where someone or something is going

1 additional   

adj.添加的，额外的，另外的

参考例句：

• It is necessary to set down these additional rules.有必要制定这些补充规则。
• I think we can fit in an additional room.我想我们可以再加建一间房子。

2 elsewhere   

adv.在别处，到别处

参考例句：

• Our favourite restaurant was full so we had to go elsewhere.我们最喜欢去的那家饭店客满了，因此不得不改去别处。
• I have half a mind to move elsewhere.我有点想搬到别处去。

3 vaccinated   

[医]已接种的，种痘的，接种过疫菌的

参考例句：

• I was vaccinated against tetanus. 我接种了破伤风疫苗。
• Were you vaccinated against smallpox as a child? 你小时候打过天花疫苗吗？

4 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。

5 coffins   

n.棺材( coffin的名词复数 )；使某人早亡[死，完蛋，垮台等]之物

参考例句：

• The shop was close and hot, and the atmosphere seemed tainted with the smell of coffins. 店堂里相当闷热，空气仿佛被棺木的味儿污染了。 来自辞典例句
• Donate some coffins to the temple, equal to the number of deaths. 到寺庙里，捐赠棺材盒给这些死者吧。 来自电影对白

6 era   

n.时代，年代，纪元，阶段

参考例句：

• We are living in the information era.我们生活在信息时代。
• We are living in a great historic era.我们正处在一个伟大的历史时代。

7 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

8 estimated   

adj．根据估计的

参考例句：

• She estimated the breadth of the lake to be 500 metres. 她估计湖面大约有500米宽。
• The man estimated for the repair of the car. 那人估算了修理汽车的费用。

9 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。

10 archaeology   

n.考古学

参考例句：

• She teaches archaeology at the university.她在大学里教考古学。
• He displayed interest in archaeology.他对考古学有兴趣。