Zahi Hawass on the looting of antiquities in Cairo
he acknowledges that after the Baghdad looting in 2003, and watching the protests in Tunisia last week, there was no contingency plan in place. The Supreme Council for Antiquities really was unprepared. Hawass' account (w/a brief analysis by UChi lit. prof. Larry Rothfield).
http://larryrothfield.blogspot.com/2011/01/more-on-looting-of-cairo-museum-it.html
Note that the Coptic Museum appears to have been completely unguarded, and looted as well. No word from the people over here on if the Nag Hammadi Codices are safe. The main Western Coptologist working with them is currently stuck in Germany and unable to do anything (he was [un]lucky; he is on leave in Cairo this year, and had to head back to Europe briefly last week right before the shit hit the fan).
http://larryrothfield.blogspot.com/2011/01/more-on-looting-of-cairo-museum-it.html
Note that the Coptic Museum appears to have been completely unguarded, and looted as well. No word from the people over here on if the Nag Hammadi Codices are safe. The main Western Coptologist working with them is currently stuck in Germany and unable to do anything (he was [un]lucky; he is on leave in Cairo this year, and had to head back to Europe briefly last week right before the shit hit the fan).