The Pharaonic civilisation of Egypt emerged in about 3150 BC when Narmer (also known as Menes) unified the kingdoms of Upper and Lower Egypt under his rule and founded the first
The Pharaonic civilisation of Egypt emerged in about 3150 BC when Narmer (also known as Menes) unified the kingdoms of Upper and Lower Egypt under his rule and founded the first of the Egyptian dynasties. The remnants of this great civilisation are today under threat from Islamic hardliners who are making outrageous demands—such as covering the faces of statues with wax because they claim that they resemble false idols, or even going so far as to demand their total annihilation. They demand that these “idol-like” monuments should be “changed” to conform with Islamic concepts. The revenues they bring in tourism should be no excuse to leave them as they are, the hardliners say, otherwise the same excuse will be used to condone all forms of tourism that contradict Islamic norms, such as alcohol and beachwear.
Creators and innovators
According to Fahmi Abdel-Alim, the former head of Islamic and Coptic antiquities sector, when Amr Ibn al-Aas conquered Egypt he was dazzled by its civilisation and advancement in art and architecture. He did not demolish any of its ancient monuments, temples, churches, monasteries or statues.
The Arabs later used ancient stones and other elements and columns for building their own monuments or facilities; they used the building blocks of classical Alexandria to construct a new, smaller city. That destruction was probably for practical purposes, but the Ayyubids, during the 12th and 13th centuries, were responsible for destruction of churches and monasteries in Upper Egypt, especially St Simeon’s monastery in Aswan.
Engineer and artist Ishac Hanna explains that because the Arab conquerors of Egypt were mostly nomads and did not master the activities of settler communities such as agriculture, manufacturing and art, they left all these activities in the hands of the local population. The Egyptians, therefore, were not only the founders of their civilisation but continued to be creators and innovators throughout their long history in a most impressive way. The modern world has focused on studying and investigating the mysteries of this rich civilisation in the fields of science and art.
Black Humour
Hanna believes that whether or not the Islamists threats will materialise, their calls are aimed at dragging Egypt back to the dark ages, and erasing all the evidence of the Egyptian civilisation’s contribution to world history.
Historian Abdel-Aziz Gamal Eddin agrees that hard-line Islamic currents do not value the greatness of Egypt’s ancient civilisation. Their calls for the demolition or covering-up of ancient monuments, although not without a note of black humour, is worrying not only for Egyptians, he insists. The international community is also highly concerned about the conservation and maintenance of Egyptian monuments, as evidence of a significant part of the evolution of the history of mankind.
Gamal Eddin believes that these calls are fuelled by neighbouring countries that bear ill will about the ancient Egyptian civilisation. These countries hope they can gradually take Egypt’s place on the international scene. Yet no matter how hard they try, this must remain no more than a pipe dream.
The ancient Egyptian civilisation is our national heritage and must be protected from anyone who seeks to destroy it on the flimsy claim that it represents idolatry.
WATANI International
19 February 2012