After Al-Qahira, the "triumphant city", was built by military commander Gawhar Al-Seqeli in AD 969 by order of the Fatimid Khalif El-Muizz Ledin Allah as Egypt's new capital, its walls enclosed opulent palaces and the prestigious mosque-university of Al-Azhar. Of the several streets and alleys in the new city, Al-Muizz Street stretching between Bab Al-Fotouh (gate of conquest) and Bab Zuweila was the main thoroughfare of Fatimid Cairo.

Through the different ages, Al-Muizz Street maintained its glorious position and encouraged Mamelukes, Circassians, Ayyubids and Ottomans to enhance its character by building splendid mosques, sabils (water fountains), Kuttabs (Quranic schools), houses and wekalas (trade complex). The one-kilometre-long street then became a spine lined with over 30 soared monuments displaying distinguished styles of Islamic architecture embellished with fine mashrabiya (woodwork) façades, painted mosaic and decorative domes. Among these are the Sultan Qalawun complex, which consists of a palace, a madrassa (school) and a hospital, the school of Ibn Barquq Beit Al-Qadi, the Sultan Al-Saleh Negmeddin dome, the sabil-kuttab of Khesru Pasha, and the Mohamed Ali Pasha sabil...

Only for pedestrians, Nevine El-Aref, Al-Ahram, Egypt, Issue No. 843, May 03 - 09, 2007.

When I was conducting the CT scan on the mummy of Tutankhamun in the Valley of the Kings in 2005, I thought I would take the opportunity to scan all the unidentified mummies in the valley.

Three mummies are located in the tomb of Amenhotep II (KV 35). Scholars have differing opinions concerning the identities of these mummies, but one in particular was the star of the media over the past three years. A CT scan was taken of it; this, which essentially goes inside the mummy and captures approximately 1,700 images. The British archaeologist identified it as Queen Nefertiti. The CT scan of this mummy was studied by Ashraf Selim, professor of radiology in the Faculty of Medicine at Cairo University. Recently, Brando Quicili made a new film about Nefertiti for National Geographic. This film was intended to uncover the real facts behind the most famous queen of Egypt. Abbie Harper was also enthusiastic to present all the evidence cited by Fletcher in the Discovery Channel film and also what has been written about the famous Egyptian queen.

Now, it is time to present the evidence that we have discovered from the study of the CT scan, which will prove that the younger lady discovered in KV 35 cannot be Nefertiti. The principal piece of evidence that Fletcher used in her identification was to match the disarticulated "bent royal arm" (the one which lies at the mummy's feet) with the body. She claimed that this disarticulated forearm with its clenched fist, found amongst the wrappings, was the arm that belonged to the mummy...

Presumably the results will appear in a National Geographic TV special and / or the printed magazine.

Dig Days: Nefertiti, Zahi Hawass, Al-Ahram, Egypt, Issue No. 843, May 03 - 09, 2007..

The Pyramids of Giza may be the only wonder of the ancient world still standing, but they are soon to be joined by other, newer upstarts, as the 2001 poll launched by a Swiss organisation to vote for seven new wonders of the world reaches its conclusion. Chosen from an original shortlist of 21 nominated sites, The New Seven Wonders of the World are due to be announced on 7 July [2007].

Originally the Giza Pyramids were on the shortlist, only to be removed three months ago. Their sudden removal provoked a flurry of rumours. Had they been taken off the list because Egypt's authorities, in the shape of Zahi Hawass, secretary-general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, had been a vociferous opponent of the popular poll organised by Bernard Weber? Or was it because, when Weber arrived in Egypt, he was received less than cordially, with the press conference he had planned cancelled at short notice owing to "security concerns".

Whatever the reasons, the Pyramids of Giza are off the candidate list. Or, more precisely, they will become an ex officio wonder for, according to a statement posted on the New Seven Wonders Foundation website, "after careful consideration, the New Seven Wonders Foundation designates the Pyramids of Giza — the only remaining of the Seven Ancient Wonders of the World — as an Honorary New Seven Wonders Candidate. Therefore you cannot vote for the Pyramids of Giza as part of the New Seven Wonders campaign."

"The Pyramids are a shared world culture and heritage site and deserve their special status as the only Honorary Candidate of the New Seven Wonders of the World campaign," the statement added...

Wonders never cease, Nevine El-Aref, Al-Ahram, Egypt, Issue No. 843, May 03 - 09, 2007.

Weeks after a spat over the bust of Queen Nefertiti, Egypt has asked a provincial German antiquities museum for the loan of a second Pharaonic statue, it was confirmed Friday.

Cairo is hoping to bring home the world's greatest Egyptology treasures for a temporary exhibition in 2012 at the inauguration of the rebuilt Egyptian Museum.

The Roman and Pelizaeus Museum in Hildesheim said it had received an official application for a loan of its nearly immaculate seated statue of the vizier Hemiunu, believed to have headed construction of the Great Pyramid.

Katja Lembke, chief executive of the northern museum, said she saw no reason to reject the request out of hand, but she would be consulting with Chancellor Angela Merkel's top culture aide, Bernd Neumann...

Egypt asks second German museum for loan of = statue, dpa via EUX.TV, Netherlands, May 04, 2007.