Digging out of tourism downfalls: Egypt’s archaeology takes the stage

By: Deborah Lehr - Chairman, The Antiquities Coalition

Follow The Antiquities Coalition on Twitter @CombatLooting and follow Deborah Lehr @DMLehr 

Finally, there is good news from Egypt. During a visit to Washington, DC last week, Egyptian 70% this year. Tourists are venturing back to the country despite political turmoil - casting a vote of confidence in General el-Sisi’s efforts to restore economic and political stability since taking office last June. Yet, if General el-Sisi is to successfully revitalize the economy, promoting cultural tourism must be a core part of his strategy.

Tourists admire modern Cairo while exploring the ancient
Sphinx. Photo Credit: Katie Paul, The Antiquities Coalition

Tourism Minister Hisham Zaazou announced that travel to Egypt is up

Before the Arab Spring, tourism accounted for approximately 11% of the country’s GDP and was a significant job creator in the economy. In the aftermath of the 2011 Revolution, tourism dropped dramatically to 6.7% of GDP. Foreign travelers have stayed away during the political turmoil of the past three years. The breakdown in the security infrastructure also led to a massive increase in looting at archaeological sites - a devastating loss of irreplaceable cultural material. In the months since General el-Sisi has taken power, Egypt has been slowly rebuilding its reputation as a safe destination for the world’s adventurers.

In 2010, a record number– 14.7 million - of overseas travelers generated revenues of approximately $11 billion for Egypt’s economy. U.S. and European tourists -- lured by Egypt’s romantic past -- flocked there to visit the Great Sphinx of Giza, King Tut’s lavish tomb, and other mysterious ancient sites.  As the security situation improves, now is the time for Egypt to consider new opportunities to promote – and protect – its cultural and aesthetic patrimony. This must be an essential part of its economic revitalization plan.  And there are lessons to be learned from another great ancient civilization, China.

China has embarked on a creative and effective program to protect its cultural heritage and thereby 10.4%. 

Tourists flocking to Hatshepsut's Temple.
Photo Credit: Katie Paul, The Antiquities Coalition

promote tourism. In recent years, the country has sought UNESCO World Heritage designations for its historic sites and geographies. This designation serves a dual purpose: to protect and promote the unique culture of these ancient landmarks, and to encourage tourism to generate revenue. World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) researchers have proven a positive correlation between a World Heritage designation and tourism growth, with a resulting increase in long-term GDP growth. Tracking figures over a 22-year period, the IMF determined that tourism generated by World Heritage status increases growth per capita by an astounding

Not surprisingly, Chinese cities have been aggressively pursuing World Heritage designations - and the results speak for themselves. After receiving a World Heritage Designation, the historic site of Lijiang, in rural Yunnan Province, now hosts over 11 million visitors annually.  The ancient village of Kaiping saw its tourism rise from 100,000 to a staggering two million visitors a year, with revenues of $7.8 million annually, after their inscription to the list in 2007. For rural areas with little industry, cultural tourism has become an economic windfall.

To date, China is tied with Italy as the world’s largest World Heritage destination, with 47 designated sites.  Egypt, equally well known for its rich historical treasures, has a mere six.  

So what can Egypt learn from China?

• Actively pursue UNESCO World Heritage designations.  Egypt has a rich treasure trove of historical sites and geographies that deserve to be on the list.  Yet the last site to receive UNESCO World Heritage Status in Egypt was in 2004. Given the positive economic correlation, it is in Egypt’s interest to tee up a number of sites for approval.
• Build up the tourism infrastructure.  Along with these UNESCO designations must come the appropriate infrastructure to support an influx of tourists – quality hotels, restaurants and multi-lingual, well trained tour guides. Strategic infrastructure investment will have a multiplier effect throughout the local economies surrounding these sites.
• Site preservation and management.  Essential to this strategy is developing plans to protect the historical integrity of the ancient sites. Without adequate advance planning, tourists can destroy the very sites that they have come to admire.
• Strategic public relations campaigns to promote tourism in key markets.  As of spring 2014, Chinese tourists account for one of every ten tourists worldwide. American tourists spend approximately $86 billion on international tourism, but Chinese tourists far surpassed them in 2013, spending a total of $129 billion. And China’s growing middle class has a big appetite for international tourism, so it appears that this is merely the tip of the iceberg, in terms of tourism dollars.

Implementing these recommendations would help grow Egypt's promising bump in tourism, and contribute mightily to the country's economic resurgence. It would be no small task to restore the tourism industry to at least 11 percent of Egypt's GDP, but there is much economic potential in Egypt's undesignated cultural sites. Sites for consideration cover a broad range of Egypt's history, from Pharaonic temples, such as the ancient Temple of Hathor to historic Islamic mosques and Christian monasteries. These are touchstones of our common heritage that should be widely known.

Seeking Unesco World Heritage listings will also help better protect and preserve Egypt’s historic patrimony for all to experience. Yes, it will boost the Egyptian economy, but perhaps more importantly, the stories contained in these ancient sites will inform our understanding of our very foundation in human history.

Digging out of tourism downfalls: Egypt’s archaeology takes the stage appeared in the Huffington Post online on December 17, 2014

A Great Night for ASOR as the Secretary of State Says Thanks

 How would you like to hear the United States Secretary of State say this about you?

“I want to thank Professor Michael Danti for shining a light on what is without question a global, critical challenge… When it comes to elevating the fight to protect the cultural heritage of Iraq and Syria, Michael and his colleagues at the American Schools of Oriental Research are literally the gold standard.”

That was Secretary John Kerry addressing the crowd at a State Department event to underscore the threats to cultural heritage in Iraq and Syria at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. It was a proud night for our colleagues at ASOR. Under the leadership of Executive Director Andy Vaughn and Professor Michael Danti of Boston University, a dedicated team of American and Syrian scholars is working with the State Department on the Syrian Heritage Initiative. The SHI is a cooperative effort to document comprehensively the current condition of cultural heritage sites in Syria and assess future restoration, preservation, and protection needs. ASOR is taking the lead in the struggle to protect the cultural heritage of war-torn Syria.

ASOR is an original partner in the Antiquities Coalition, supporting our efforts to fight cultural racketeering and to promote and protect the world’s cultural heritage since we began. They are stalwart collaborators and their own efforts in the Middle East clearly impressed the Secretary. At the event on Monday, I saw Andy Vaughn at the reception afterwards as he smiled and humbly accepted compliments and congratulations from the assembled, allowing that Secretary Kerry’s encomium was “pretty cool,” while pointing out that there was still much to be done for the cause of safeguarding Syrian and Iraqi cultural patrimony.

As for Michael Danti, he directly preceded Secretary Kerry on stage to talk about the horrors inflicted in Syria and Iraq by the Islamic State. His presentation of the facts, accompanied by dramatic photos from Mosul and Dura Europos, drove home to the audience just how perfidious the terrorists are in their zeal to eradicate opposition and in their willful destruction of cultural sites and materials. And Michael had reason to be proud when he also heard this from Secretary Kerry. “Michael was the first American archeologist in more than half a century to gain access to the Zagros Mountains, and that's the Iraqi Kurdistan Region along the Turkish and Iranian border. And he traveled to Syria for more than two decades, right up until the conflict erupted, researching Syria's ancient heritage. And we are all profoundly grateful for his commitment.” Michael was swept up by a press maelstrom after the event, though he did tell me later, “I felt very honored to speak to such a distinguished audience on a topic that I hold dear.”

Other leaders of the Syrian Heritage Initiative are Scott Branting (ASOR), Jesse Casana (University of Arkansas), Abdal-Razzaq Moaz (Indiana University and ASOR), and LeeAnn Barnes Gordon (ASOR).

We will leave it to Professor Susan Ackerman of Dartmouth, who leads ASOR as its President, to put this evening in perspective. “It's a great day for us to be so prominently and publicly recognized and signals just how important our work to safeguard Syria's (and Iraq's) cultural heritage is, both for us as an organization and for the remains of the ancient Near Eastern past that we all hold so dear.”

It was indeed a great day for our friends at ASOR. And it was a great night for cultural heritage too. As pleased as everyone is to see the Antiquities Coalition’s partners lauded so prominently, we are pleased to hear this ringing endorsement and promise of help for preservation goals from the Secretary of State. John Kerry gets the final word. “I want you to know that President Obama and our Administration are laser-focused on protecting the cultural heritage of countries all around the world… Our heritage is literally in peril in this moment, and we believe it is imperative that we act now. We do so knowing that our leadership, the leadership of the United States, can make a difference and that the fight to protect the cultural heritage of Iraq and Syria isn’t just about shared values. It’s about protecting a shared legacy.”

Treasure Hunter Barry Clifford: 'Santa Maria' Access Denied

By: Justine Benanty

On July 7, the Haitian Minister of Culture, Monique Rocourt, publicly stated that the Haitian Government has revoked the permit of famed treasure hunter Barry Clifford's on the alleged Santa Maria site. When the discovery news first went public back in May 2014, UNESCO was asked for

Barry Clifford's photograph of the alleged Santa Maria
wreck. Credit: CNN

 their technical assistance to determine the validity of Clifford's claims and assess his permit and archaeological methods. UNESCO has since determined that the methodology and diver team employed by Clifford does not comply with the standards set by the Scientific Council of the UNESCO Convention.

Minister Rocourt also pointed out that although Clifford had announced to the public that he had discovered this site, it had actually previously been studied by the University of Florida back in the 1970s-80s. Maritime archaeologists – trained academics and scientists - who don’t harbor the same focus on profit and fame over proper research, would have done their due diligence by conducting a full research analysis and likely have left Christopher Columbus out of the equation, until there was concrete proof of this allegation. 

As to the 'state of emergency' invoked by Clifford concerning this site, the Haitian Government and UNESCO have also rejected this claim, as the wreck remains protected by the natural elements and sediments, meaning immediate danger is not imminent. Doing a full excavation would do more harm than good in both the short and long term. The Council has cautiously recommended that some archaeological fieldwork will continue on this site but only under the auspices of UNESCO's technical assistance. Their team will likely survey the site in August of this year. 

This is an example of what many maritime archaeologists face - their efforts are not only focused on research but on struggling to counteract the claims and extensive financial flows of treasure hunters worldwide. It is governments in the developing world that need to recognize the difference between claims of grandeur and hard scientific fact. Even small decisions to restrict actions by alleged archaeologists; help foster a scientific and knowledgeable environment.

Treasure Hunter Barry Clifford discussing his 'discovery'
on CNN. Credit: World News

This situation becomes even more interesting beyond the Santa Maria discovery. A simple news search shows that media coverage of this decision has only been covered by Haitian or foreign language media outlets. Once the initial announcement via the mass media was released in May to the American press, there has been little to no coverage of these developments since May in English-language outlets.

This illustrates a trend in American sensationalist media where only the exciting or provoking news is made public, while the follow-up stories that are grounded in reality, are forgotten or dismissed. If the American public were able to know about why Clifford's permit was revoked or why treasure hunters and archaeologists are ethically at odds, it would foster a new thoughtful perspective on cultural resources management and site preservation. The media is an integral part in spreading awareness of issues surrounding our cultural resources.  

How the Council on Library and Information Resources Is Helping Save Cultural Heritage in Egypt

By Peter Herdrich
Vice Chair, The Antiquities Coalition

Minister Mohamed Ibrahim and Antiquities Coalition Chairman Deborah
Lehr sign the MoU as Egyptian Ambassador Mohamed Tawfik looks on.
Credit: The Antiquities Coalition 

When Egypt’s Minister of Antiquities, Dr. Mohammed Ibrahim, came to the United States in March of this year and signed the Ministry’s first ever public/private partnership agreement with the Antiquities Coalition (AC), it included six initiatives to serve as the organizational backbone for the effort to fight cultural racketeering. Dr. Ibrahim would choose his number one priority.(And just for fun, what would you choose? Tweet your answers to us @CombatLooting or comment below!)

• Cultural Heritage Inventories: conducting the first nationwide inventory for all excavated antiquities- led by Egyptian archeologists and the Ministry of Antiquities- and made widely available through publications on the web.
• Physical Site Protection: training officials at the sites and supporting programs to better protect sites physically where necessary.
• Ancient Records Digitization: scanning ancient records to protect the objects and ensure accessibility on the Internet.
• Aerial Mapping: conducting nationwide mapping of all key archeological sites to serve as a benchmark for tracking looting and urban encroachment.
• Cultural Heritage Education Campaigns: designing and implementing cultural heritage education programs around major archaeological sites.
• Small Business Initiatives:  promoting the development of small businesses around tourist sites to create economic incentive for their protection.

He chose Cultural Heritage Inventories.

Egypt has a vast resource of materials in museums and storage facilities around the country, but the only registry they have is of the materials in the Cairo Museum. That project was created in 2009, using grants from the Mellon Foundation and USAID and was administered by the American Research Center in Egypt. But these collections make up a fraction of the material found in Egypt since organized archaeology began back in the 18th century with Napoleon’s expedition.  Ministry officials estimate that there are hundreds of thousands of objects in museums and storage facilities around the country. And no list of what they are, where they come from, or where they are now.  With attacks on the rise, it is critical that Egypt know have a digital record to assist with any potential recovery.

It’s probably best to not think too much about how daunting a task it would be to try to organize this Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR). CLIR is the leading institution on academic information and knowledge strategy in the United States. Chuck Henry is a longtime colleague and friend, who looks at these challenges through the lens of his engagement as a university librarian, information strategies thinker, and practical problem-solver. And now Chuck is lending a hand officially as an advisor to the Antiquities Coalition, http://www.theantiquitiescoalition.org/charles-henry/.

Cases of the Mallawi Museum in Minya, Egypt stand empty
after being looted by extremists - this museum did not
have an inventory of its artifacts.  With worries of instability
and further looting, it is important to emphasize the
need for inventories sooner rather than later.
Credit: Egypt's Heritage Task Force 

material. What the AC did think about though, after consulting with our Egyptian partners, was to get some expert advice. That led me to Dr. Charles Henry, the President of the

The Antiquities Coalition has already benefitted from Chuck’s advice as we move this project forward, particularly from his insights derived from CLIR’s Cataloguing Hidden Special Collections and Archives program. We are also discussing with the collections management software company EMu, the firm that provides the Cairo Museum with the platform on which they have built their registry and accession records, what it would take to launch a broader inventory. We believe the way to start is with a pilot program at another museum in Egypt and at one or two storage facilities, with a focused training program attached. Other goals include a possible online presence for these records, which would be a boon for the scholarly community, for K-12 educational opportunities, and for ways to present the material that would encourage travel and tourism to Egypt and help with economic development. We are approaching foundation and corporate supporters about funding, in order to raise $5,000,000 to create the capacity for this task, which we expect will be undertaken by Egyptian professionals. And we have stayed in close touch with Egyptian authorities, always keeping in mind that they have the ultimate responsibility for Egypt’s cultural patrimony.

Dr. Henry says the creation of this inventory and database is something that information and library professionals, scholars and educators, funders, and those with an interest in the history and culture of Egypt will celebrate and encourage. We think its creation is a task worthy of the daunting effort.

Ancient Egyptian Artifacts Repatriated: American family returns personal collection to Egypt

Some of the ushabtis returned to Egypt 

by Ms. Croasdaile. 

Credit: The Antiquities Coalition

The Antiquities Coalition (AC) had the proud honor early this week on Tuesday, June 17th of repatriating a collection of 26^th dynasty ushabtis to the Egyptian government on behalf of Ms. Cynthia Croasdaile, a successful writer and editor.  After reading about the efforts of the Egyptian government to combat looting in a March 2014 story in the New York Times, Ms. Croasdaile was inspired to return her family’s collection of antiquities, which dates back over 3000 years.  She reached out to the Antiquities Coalition to help support her efforts.

Ms. Croasdaile’s connection to Egypt dates to her childhood.  As a young girl, her father served as   These items reminded the family of their happy years spent in Egypt. 
head of exploration for Phillips Petroleum in the Western desert of Egypt. At the end of his tenure, his staff presented him with this collection of ushabtis – small gods that were buried in the tomb with the deceased to serve as the servants in the afterlife.

Left to Right: Egyptian Ambassador Mohamed 

Tawfik; Antiquities Coalition Advisor, Mary 

Ellen Lane; and Antiquities Coalition Chairman, 

Deborah Lehr examine the artifacts being returned 

by Ms. Croasdaile. 

Credit: The Antiquities Coalition

It is this connection to Egypt, however, that also inspired her to return the ancient artifacts.  As the New York Times story chronicled, Egypt has been subject to mass looting – or cultural racketeering – at every major archaeological site in the country.  Egyptian antiquities are now flooding global markets.  Looting is up over 1000 percent at several sites. And Egyptian antiquities are now flooding Western markets.

After reading about the plight of the country of her childhood, Ms. Croasdaile was moved to show her support.  She called Deborah Lehr, Chairman of the Antiquities Coalition, which was mentioned in the article, to explore how best to repatriate her family’s collection to Egypt.  Ms. Lehr, on her behalf, presented to antiquities to Egyptian Ambassador Mohammed Tawfik on June 16 at the Egyptian Embassy in Washington, DC.  Mr. Croasdaile’s collection of ushabtis will be returned to their homeland where they will be part of a growing exhibition of repatriated Egyptian antiquities.

Deborah Lehr addressed the deeper importance regarding the return of the artifacts during her presentation of the antiquities to the Egyptian Government, “Today, we are celebrating one of the most important bonds that connects us– and that is the personal one.  Cynthia was inspired by her memories of her connection with Egypt to help – even in some small way.  Her action reminds us that one person can indeed make a difference.” 

Antiquities Coalition Chairman, Deborah Lehr, remarks
on the return of the antiquities to Egypt, welcoming them
back home. Credit: The Antiquities Coalition 

The Ambassador noted the importance of actions such as Ms. Croasdaile to the overall effort to fight against looting.

The AC was also delighted to have Ed Liebow, President of the American Anthropological Association (AAA), Dr. Brian Daniels, Director of Research and Programs, Penn Cultural Heritage Center as well as several of our esteemed members from The Antiquities Coalition including Mary Ellen Lane, Executive Director of the Council of American Overseas Research Center (CAORC); and Dr. Alexander Nagel, Smithsonian attending the ceremony.