Ancient coffins found
Last week, over 20 ancient wooden coffins were found by archaeologists near the Egyptian city of Luxor. The coffins were found in two layers on the Nile River’s west bank in the Theban necropolis of Asasif. The majority of the tombs are from the Late Period, 664-332BC, of Ancient Egypt; however, there are tombs in the collection from the early period of the 18th Dynasty, 1550-1292BC. According to the Egyptian Ministry of Antiques, the area that the coffins were found is now being claimed as an ancient “industrial area” that included houses for storage and cleaning of funerary furniture with pottery dating back to the 18th Dynasty. According to BBC, “The ministry described the discovery as ‘one of the largest and most important’ in recent years.”
Farmers fighting blame
Last Wednesday, thousands of Dutch farmers began protesting at The Hague, a city on the North Sea coast of western Netherlands where the seat of the Dutch parliament is located. The protest was aimed at the government as they plan to reduce nitrogen and carbon emissions. The farmers claim, however, that the government is unfairly targeting them for emissions. According to the Associated Press, “[the farmers] argue that the government’s plans are based on inaccurate readings and calculations by the government-funded National Institute for Public Health and the Environment.” The farmers disagree, arguing that the nitrogen measuring they carry out is “robust and scientifically responsible.” The program the Dutch government is planning on implementing involves buying old inefficient farms and subsidiaries to help modernize other farms, and in turn, decrease carbon and nitrogen emissions.
Professor accused of selling Bible fragments
The Egyptian Exploration Society, ESS, has accused Oxford University professor, Dirk Obbink, of selling ancient fragments of the Bible. The 11 pieces in question are from the Oxyrhynchus Collection, a group of ancient manuscripts discovered in the late 19th century located near Oxyrhynchus in Egypt. The professor apparently sold the pieces in two batches in 2010 to the U.S. corporation Hobby Lobby. The artifacts were taken from the Sackler Library at Oxford University and ended up in possession of the Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C., but are currently being arranged to be returned to the ESS.
Photo: A. Hegazy
