As National Geographic Channel highlights tomb raiders as part of its special on pharaohs this week, Dr LEE KAM HING looks at the age-old problem of tomb looting.

Long before the Lara Croft films, there were already tomb raiders.   Archaeologists entering King Tutankhamun's tomb in November 1922 found evidence that centuries ago robbers had broken into the place.   The plastered block to the tomb's entrance showed signs of being tampered with on at least two occasions.

Looters, in fact, entered the tomb of Egypt's famous boy pharaoh who ruled briefly from 1333BC to 1323BC within months of his burial.   But they were surprised by the guards.   The entrance was resealed...

[More]   The Star Online, Malaysia, June 12, 2005.

CT scanning is a non-invasive tool which produces three-dimensional images, and is thus superior to X-rays, which can only see one plane at a time.

The current investigation of King Tutankhamun's mummy was designed to confirm or refute the conclusions of previous examinations, and look for additional details that earlier investigators might have missed.

The scientists who analysed the CT scan images of Tutankhamun came together in a series of meetings to discuss their findings.

They were unanimous on almost all points and their conclusions are as follows...

[More]   New Straits Times, Malaysia, June 11, 2005.

Students at the city's Charter Elementary School West Campus recently showed off their knowledge of ancient Egypt.

"Archaeologists think King Tut died of an infection from a broken leg," said Nicole Batista, 9, of Davie.

"Some sarcophagi were made of up to 50 pounds of gold," said Blake Kelley, 9, of Pembroke Pines.   "Mummies were put in them so that germs, bacteria and sand couldn't get in.   When they were preparing the dead to be mummies, they took out all of the organs except the heart." ...

[More]   South Florida Sun-Sentinel, Florida, USA, June 10, >2005.

Local Egyptologist Walt Daugherty will delight in the Los Angeles County Museum of Art's upcoming King Tut exhibit not only because of the glimpse it will give into the young king's elusive tomb, but also because it promises to give him a taste of his own past...

[More]   Santa Maria Times, California, USA, June 13, 2005.

"Good Morning America" will bring viewers the first look at "Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs," the new exhibit of priceless objects from the 3,300-year-old tomb of the Egyptian boy pharaoh.

Don't miss ABC News' "Good Morning America" on Tuesday, June 14 when we give you the first look at the new King Tut exhibit...

[More]   ABC News, USA, June 09, 2005.

The King Tut exhibition set to open on June 16 in Los Angeles, bringing the boy king's treasures to the United States for the first time in a quarter-century, is in just about every sense a reflection of Zahi Hawass, the man who made the show possible.

Dr. Hawass, who controls Egypt's vast archaeological trove as secretary general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, is part Indiana Jones, part P. T. Barnum - intent on dusting off Egypt's holdings through a mix of entertainment, commerce and archaeology.

Here to give a lecture before heading to the West Coast for the exhibition's inauguration on Thursday, Dr. Hawass, a trim, energetic man with white, wavy hair, was his usual swashbuckling self.   "I am very complicated - I'm like Tut," he told a reporter, striding out of a formal dinner.   "Yes. This should be the title of your article: The Mystery of Zahi Hawass." ...

[More]   New York Times, New York, USA, June 13, 2005.

Pharaohs may never have found the glorious afterlife they were expecting, but one thing about ancient Egypt is eternal - the popularity of King Tut.

The Boy King - and his bling - return to the United States 26 years after his treasures dazzled 8 million museum visitors and created a new category of cultural event: the museum blockbuster.

Even by today's over-the-top standards, the Tutankhamun collection is staggering...

[More]   AP via San Francisco Chronicle, California, USA, June 11, 2005.

cf. King Tut returns to dazzle with gold and high tech displays, AP via Miami Herald, Florida, USA, June 11, 2005.

cf. Boy King's bling, AP via Columbia Daily Tribune, Missouri, USA, June 12, 2005.

Denver billionaire Phil Anschutz and Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun aren't an obvious pairing, but they have teamed up for the new blockbuster art exhibit Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs opening June 16 in Los Angeles...

[More]   Denver Business Journal, Colorado, USA, June 10, >2005.

The high-tech city boasts a large cache of Egyptian treasures, as well as a puzzle from California's past.

The armless goddess, like an Egyptian Venus de Milo, stared out from behind protective glass. This 18-inch likeness of Neith, the goddess of war, was carved of wood 2,500 years ago.

"If she could speak," my mother said, "she would say, 'Rah-em-pet,' which means 'The sun is in the sky.' "   A free workshop in hieroglyphics had turned her into an instant expert on the everyday sayings of Egyptian deities...

[More]   Los Angeles Times, California, USA, June 12, 2005.

A Welsh university could soon be turning out a new generation of Indiana Joneses after appointing one of the world's leading experts in lost tombs.

This week, the University of Wales, Swansea, has welcomed a new Chair of Egyptology, Professor Thomas Schneider, a world renowned expert in the field.

He wants to obtain excavation licences from Egyptian authorities so some of the 200 Egyptology students in Swansea can do "hands-on" discovery work in ancient tombs and catacombs...

[More]   icWales, UK, June 10, 2005.

Archaeologist and Secretary General of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities Zahi Hawass is credited with such major discoveries as the tombs of Giza and the Saqqara Pyramids.   As a National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence he recently helped to reopen the tomb of Tutankhamun so that the mummy could undergo a CT scan to determine the cause of death for a National Geographic Channel documentary.   He recently talked with 'Taipei Times' staff reporter Gavin Phipps about the world's fascination with ancient Egypt and the curse of the pharaohs...

[More]   Taipei Times, Taiwan, June 11, 2005.

That Indiana Jones hat and roguish smile are more than a tad familiar, but Zahi Hawass ... isn't a movie-star: He's more, he's the real thing.

The man has dominion over Egypt's famous ancient monuments, discoveries like the fabulously-named Valley of the Golden Mummies under his belt, and an outspoken personality that television viewers so love but harassed museum curators around the world dread...

[More]   Today Online, Singapore, June 11, 2005.

The legendary King Tutankhamun has been the source of intrigue for nearly a century, for he is an object of fascination since the discovery of his tomb in 1922.   His mysterious demise and the rumoured "curse" on those involved with the discovery are shrouded in mystery.

Now, find out more about the pharaoh in Tut Resurrected in a world premiere tomorrow at 6pm on National Geographic Channel (Astro Channel 52).   The two-hour special, airing in conjunction with the channel's "Pharaohs Week", follows leading archaeologist Dr Zahi Hawass and a team of international scientists as they examine King Tut to find out what caused his death more than 3,000 years ago...

[More]   New Straits Times, Malaysia, June 11, 2005.

Love him or hate him, Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities secretary-general Dr Zahi Hawass, the man who reigns supreme over Egyptology, is a hero.   JOAN LAU writes.

Here are three things you probably don't know about Cairo (well, at least I didn't!): it's really cold in April (I thought Egypt is desert-hot and was really taken aback to step out of the airport into a freezing night... stupid me.   The only consolation?   I was not the only one who thought that.), the Nile is really blue and Dr Zahi Hawass is really a god (well, it felt that way to me... more on that later)....

[More]   New Straits Times, Malaysia, June 11, 2005.

Pharaohs may never have found the glorious afterlife they were expecting, but one thing about ancient Egypt is eternal — the popularity of King Tut.

The Boy King — and his bling — return to the United States 26 years after his treasures dazzled 8 million museum visitors and created a new category of cultural event: the museum blockbuster...

[More]   Indiana Daily Student, Indiana, USA, June 09, 2005.

Jimmy Dunn over at Tour Egypt has started a blog system on his website.   It contains one master blog and several sub-blogs (categories I suppose) and Jimmy is asking for "a few more good bloggers" to suggest categories and maintain blogs for these categories.

The master blog can be found here (Tour Egypt Master Blog) and currently has sub-categories of Luxor News Blog edited by Jane Akshar of Flats in Luxor and Message Center Reporter.   All of the blogs allow comments and have RSS 2.0 feeds.

For more information check out this feature story The Tour Egypt Blog System Wants YOU, Tour Egypt, undated.