Egyptian archaeologists recently found hundreds of amazing artefacts, which were lying under layers of dirt in the basement of the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, reports the London-based daily A-Sharq Al-Awsat.

The artefacts, which include mummies and coffins, were found inside dusty cases, which were forgotten for decades in the museum's basement. Following the theft of several statues, the museum's management decided for the first time to compile a full list of all its artefacts. During the work on the list, the basements were searched, and the treasure was revealed.

"During the whole of the past century, the museum's managers sat on their chairs drinking tea, and did not fulfil their duties," said General Secretary of the High Council for Archaeology, Zahi Hawass.

So far, some 600 coffins and 170 mummies have been found in the museum basement.

The museum was established 104 years ago, and contains some of the most important archaeological artefacts in the world, including the mummy of Rameses II who died in 1212 B.C. (B.C.E.).

Ancient Mummies Discovered in Cairo, The Media Line, November 02, 2005, via Archaeo-News-Blog.

To coincide with the BBC's new series on Egypt, BBC History Magazine has two articles on ancient Egypt.

The first is entitled "Who's afraid of the Pharaoh's curse?" and is penned by Joyce Tyldesley.

In conjunction with a new BBC series on the early Egyptologists, Joyce Tyldesley recalls Howard Carter's discovery of Tutankhamun and asks why a supernatural curse gripped the world.

The second is "The circus archaeologist" about Giovanni Belzoni and written by Aidan Dodson.

Egyptologist and circus strongman Giovanni Belzoni was far more than a tomb-raider, says Aidan Dodson.

BBC History Magazine November 2005, Issue. 71, Volume 6, No. 11, Origin Publishing, Bristol, UK.

... The German Archaeological Institute has just finished excavating at Heliopolis (Matareya) one of the most important sites in Egyptian history: the remains of the ancient city of On. The temple area is older and larger than that of Karnak. Now, building of a huge shopping mall has started right on top of the temple! It will cut through the temple's main axis and its causeway. The Supreme Council of Antiquities doesn't want to get involved so as not to cross the authorities in Heliopolis. The Germans are frightened and don't want to say anything, as they might lose their permit to excavate. How is this allowed to happen? Would they build a mall in Karnak? ...

Letters from readers: Comments on Qatameya, Cairo Magazine, Egypt, October 20, 2005.