China-Egypt Archaeological Collaboration: Discoveries and Human Connection

Joint Archaeological Mission in Egypt

• 🎯 The first official Chinese-Egyptian joint archaeological mission began in 2018, focusing on a section of the Mut temple.
• 🔍 The primary goals are to uncover structures buried for nearly a century and understand the temple's construction, functional changes, and eventual abandonment during the Roman period.
• ⏳ The team anticipates several more years of work to complete the excavation of this part of the temple, with the hope of eventually opening it to the public.

Growth of Chinese Archaeology

• 💡 The speaker highlights the development of Chinese archaeology since the early 20th century, with the Institute of Archaeology at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences established in the 1950s.
• ✅ This Egyptian exploration is presented as a success story demonstrating the potential of Chinese archaeological contributions to global scholarship.

Unforgettable Human Connection During the Pandemic

• 🤝 A particularly memorable moment occurred in March 2020 when the pandemic forced the team to stay in Luxor.
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Despite the difficult circumstances and empty tourist sites, Egyptian colleagues provided crucial support, including food and masks, fostering a sense of family.
• 🇨🇳 The team was deeply moved when the Egyptian government illuminated the first pylon of Karnak Temple with Chinese red and national flags to support China's fight against the pandemic, an event they participated in.