The Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, Ahmed Issa, has declined the proposal to reinstall casing blocks on the Pyramid of Menkaure, based on a report submitted on Thursday, by the Menkaure Pyramid Review Committee (MPRC).
The committee decided not to reinstall any granite blocks around the Pyramid of Menkaure. The committee stressed the importance of preserving the pyramid's current condition, which has exceptional global archaeological value. The original shape of the pyramid's covering can be inferred from the seven courses currently present on its body for thousands of years.
MPRC explained that returning the granite blocks would cover existing evidence of the ways and how the ancient Egyptians built the pyramids.
The committee approved conducting archaeological excavations to search for the boat pits of the Pyramid of Menkaure. However, the work should not be limited to the idea of searching for boat holes or boats only. The committee required clear and detailed scientific reasons for carrying out the excavations, which should be presented in a study to the Supreme Scientific Committee before starting the work.
MPRC also emphasized the need for the work plan for the project to include the time period for implementing the project, the names of the archaeological members of the work team, who must have experience in the field of recording, archaeological excavation, and studying the layers of the earth.
Last week, the MPRC began its work following a ministerial decree issued by the tourism minister Issa. The committee will review the restoration project for the Menkaure Pyramid at the Giza Plateau, which was introduced by an Egyptian-Japanese archaeological team from the SCA and Waseda University.
The committee is headed by the renowned Egyptologist and former minister of antiquities, Zahi Hawass. It consists of six leading engineers and archaeologists from Egypt, the US, the Czech Republic, and Germany.
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