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                             The problem is not the same excavations, only the description of the scientific discoveries of all – says archaeologist prof. Charles fighter, who for 20 years conducted excavations in Saqqara, Egypt.
                         

In Egypt, there is research for a thousand years. The achievements of Professor and his team can be seen from Wednesday 2 March to 19 December at the exhibition “20 years of Polish research in Saqqara” in the Archaeological Museum in Krakow. Planszom photo is accompanied by a show of original relics from the collection of Museum in Krakow.

– I am pleased with this exhibition, because it sums up our 20-year job. The exhibition also treat this as a harbinger of my books “Twenty years of Polish research in Saqqara,” promoting the exhibition, and “In the shadow of Djoser,” which will be released in a few weeks – said prof. Charles fighter from the Institute of Culture of Mediterranean and Oriental Sciences.

Saqqara is a village situated approx. 30 km south of Cairo. It served as the necropolis for rulers and dignitaries from the nearby Memphis, one of the capitals of ancient Egypt. Among the many monuments in Saqqara, the most famous is the oldest pyramid on the Nile – the pyramid of Pharaoh Djoser (XXVII century BCE.).

Prof. Charles fighter now 20 years in the mission of Polish archaeologists in the vicinity of the pyramid of Djoser in Saqqara. The first geophysical surveys Poles carried out in the region in 1987. Later, for nearly 10 years, collected adequate finances to return to Saqqara. Since 1996. Team of Polish archaeologists under the direction of prof. Fighter goes annually to Saqqara.

The Poles have made a number of important discoveries in the necropolis, including m.in .: tombs carved in the rock for a high-ranking dignitaries of the Pharaoh. Among the finds are valuable tomb of Vizier Merefnebef (discovered in 1997). And the priest Ni-ankh-Nefertum (2003), richly decorated with polychrome reliefs.

Egyptologists have also found hundreds of mummies. Almost 10 years ago, scientists the pit burial chambers where there were unique coffins made not of wood, but of cane stalks. And in 2010. Identified quarries, where the mined limestone for the construction of the nearby pyramid of Djoser.

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The results of Polish scientists in a large They contributed to the understanding of the causes of the collapse of the Old Kingdom – the age of the pyramids. The Poles have found traces of catastrophic climate change before approx. 2.2 thousand. years BC

The professor asked how long the study will last at Saqqara, he said: – These studies are gearing up for the next thousand years. We still have so much to be tested. The only requirement is a good team of scientists and adequate finances. The problem arises when everything has been discovered, must be documented, often preserve, investigate and publish.

Polish archaeologists research leads all year round, but in the same excavations in Egypt leave for approx. Two months . In Saqqara scientists plan to conduct research as long as possible. – Despite the difficult political situation in Egypt, we are not going to stop and go back to Egypt each year – selects prof. Fighter.

Apart from Saqqara prof. Charles Fighter conducted excavations in other parts of Egypt and Syria, Sudan and Cyprus. He is the author of numerous scientific publications.

(ew / PAP)