Chisels and controversy: Egypt defends work on ancient pyramids
The Great Pyramid of Giza is a monument that is 4,500 years old. Recently, a video emerged online showing workers chiselling the building blocks with a hammer and chisel. The incident outraged tourists and had a significant impact on Egyptian media. What does Egypt's Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities have to say about it?
Workers in reflective vests, hammering and chiselling the stones of the Great Pyramid of Giza - this scene outraged thousands of tourists and internet users who watched the surprising footage from Egypt. The construction workers began their work at 15:00 GMT on Sunday, 17th November, indifferent to the presence of onlookers.
The issue quickly gained attention. Comments emerged that the workers behaved as if attempting to dismantle the structure. One well-known Egyptian journalist, Ahmed Moussa, stated on a popular television programme that what happened "is not worthy of Egypt, its tourism, and its civilisation."
Tourists outraged by workers' behaviour. Ministry explains
The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities of Egypt, called upon to explain, attempts to calm the situation by stating that the workers' task was to remove electrical cables to modernise the Great Pyramid's lighting system. These cables were on an old cement layer, hence the decisive actions by the workers with hammers.
The Ministry emphasised that no damage was done to the historic structure.
The work is being carried out with great care to ensure that neither the pyramid nor its original stones are in any way compromised – the statement was assured, quoted by foreign media.
However, this was not enough to appease internet users. On the contrary, many commenters are demanding that Egyptian officials be held accountable for this situation.
Dr. Ayman Ashmawy from the Supreme Council of Antiquities admitted that the workers performed their tasks at an inappropriate time and without proper supervision.
