"International Research Team's 3-Year Restoration Project"
"Straighten the Leaning Tower of Pisa Soon," Sarcastic Remark
The Egyptian government has sparked global controversy by releasing footage of restoration work covering the outer walls of the world-famous Giza pyramids with granite blocks. Amid criticism that this is damage rather than restoration, the Egyptian government insists on pushing forward with the restoration project over the next three years.
Mostafa Waziri, Chairman of the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA) of Egypt, posted images of the restoration work on the Pyramid of the Journalist on his Instagram account. [Image source=Instagram]
According to The New York Times on the 1st (local time), Mostafa Waziri, chairman of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA), recently posted a video of the Giza pyramid restoration project on his Instagram account, which has spread widely and sparked debate both inside and outside Egypt.
The video shows workers installing granite blocks on the lower outer walls of the pyramid and features Waziri explaining the work process. It is said that the pyramid's outer walls were originally covered with granite blocks. However, it is estimated that these blocks fell off over thousands of years. The Egyptian SCA states that this project aims to reconstruct the granite blocks to restore the pyramid to its original form.
Waziri emphasized, "The restoration work will proceed for three years in cooperation with an international research team," adding, "This restoration project is a gift Egypt presents to the world in the 21st century." Waziri also leads the Egypt-Japan joint team responsible for this restoration project.
However, as the video spreads, criticism that the pyramid is being damaged is pouring in from both inside and outside Egypt. One netizen criticized, "When will the plan to straighten the Leaning Tower of Pisa be carried out?" Some sarcastically responded, "It would be better to put wallpaper on the pyramid instead of tiles." In Egypt, where tourism revenue accounts for more than 10% of the gross domestic product (GDP), the controversy is especially heated because the pyramid is a symbolic historical heritage.
Archaeology experts also express concern that the government's reckless restoration could severely damage the cultural heritage. Egyptian archaeologist Monica Hanna sharply criticized, "When will the Egyptian government stop this absurd management of cultural heritage?"
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
