Database on archaeological sites across country including sunken antiquities

Under Egyptian-Finnish project a database for archaeological sites across the country will be designed.

The database will cover for the first time the sunken antiquities under the Nasser Lake in Aswan, the Gulf of Abu Qir and the north- eastern coast of Alexandria.

"The project funded by a Grant of $1,250,000 from the Finnish government is the first to provide data access to about 48 antiquities sunk under Nasser Lake most of which date back to the Pharaonic age," according to Secretary General of the Supreme Council for Antiquities Dr Gaballah Ali Gaballah.

He said the project would provide an integrated data system for archaeological sites in all governorates in such a way that they would be electronically and automatically linked to any official chart.

He further pointed out that it would be of great service to urban planning projects as different official agencies concerned would easily identify the archaeological sites and take them into consideration when working out their plans.

According to Dr. Naguib Amin the Supervisor of the project the last chart available on archaeological sites went back to the year 1950 and has not been updated ever since. The first step in the project then was to update the charts in the light of new discoveries made and the changes affecting the sites themselves.

This step involves collecting data, a process where several officials' agencies were involved such as the Survey Administration, the Urban Planning Authority and others. Experts also resorted to satellite pictures and so the fresh data was placed on advanced charts whereby it would be possible to identify the history and condition of each site, he added.

The second important phase of the project, said Dr Naguib, was the database available in Arabic and English. Cards would be made available for each site to illustrate the history of the site, dates of excavations conducted, details about ownership, encroachments on the site and potential threats as subterranean water or urban expansion.