Fraud exposed - after 3,000 years


By Magdi Abdelhadi
BBC correspondent in Cairo
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/999999.gif

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/39923000/jpg/_39923356_luxor-bbc-203x300.jpg Tomb raiders seem to have been at work right from the start

An Egyptian researcher says he has uncovered evidence of corruption and nepotism going back some 3,000 years.

A daily newspaper has published details of the study on its front page under the headline Thebesgate after the name of an ancient Egyptian city.

The paper says it is Egypt's oldest case of political corruption and official cover-up.

At issue was a plot to cover up the theft of gold and jewellery hidden in the tombs of the Pharaohs.

According to researcher Ahmad Saleh, whose work is quoted by the Al-Masri Al-Yaoum newspaper, senior officials involved in the looting were allowed to walk free while ordinary people were tried and punished.

His research is about the looting of the tomb of King Sobekemsaf, during the "New Kingdom" era.

The looters were caught and put on trial in the ancient city of Thebes, roughly the equivalent of modern-day Luxor. But as it turned out that some senior officials were involved, the case was closed, in what appears to have been one of the first examples in history of an official cover-up. It is a story which will have some resonance in modern Egypt, where many people often complain of what they say is rampant corruption in the country - though modern corruption usually has more to do with kickbacks and dubious contracting than tomb-robbing.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/3539284.stm

I visited Egypte recently. Even shook hands with Dr. Hawass and have it on tape..
Also climbed the piramyd, country is as corrupts as it's gets so 10 euro's will buy you a ticked up there and will pursuade the AK-74 wearing policemen to look the other way.

It is a story which will have some resonance in modern Egypt, where many people often complain of what they say is rampant corruption in the country - though modern corruption usually has more to do with kickbacks and dubious contracting than tomb-robbing.


There isn't rampant corruption there. It's the eppifany of corruption. I found that everything is for sale there given the right price. Our tourguide even told of stories where people who had to go to the hospital urgently were forced to bribe the ambulance personal, else they wouldn't take the tourist to the hospital. Not strange though since the egyptians earns about 20-30 euro's a month if he's lucky. I think a policeman earns about 20 euro's a month if I rememebr right.

Certainly one of the most amazing powers in the acient world.Complex and highly cultured society the priesthood was the major power behind the throne.
Their art was second to none .