One of the most famous of Egypt’s pyramids, Menkaure’s pyramid on the Giza plateau, is the subject of controversy after the Egyptian authorities announced plans to restore it in what the country’s Head of Antiquities has called “the project of the century” and Egypt’s “gift to the world”.
But not everyone believes such a restoration is in keeping with the demands of proper archaeological preservation.
The plans met with opposition from archaeologists and Egyptologists both inside and outside the country. The project has now been paused after recommendations from a scientific committee commissioned by the Egyptian authorities.
So what’s going on with the pyramids?
Presenter: Gary O’Donoghue
Producer: Louise Clarke
Researcher: Matt Toulson
Editor: Tara McDermott
Technical producer: Nicky Edwards
Production co-ordinator: Liam Morrey
Contributors:
Aidan Dodson, honorary Professor of Egyptology at Bristol university in the UK
Dr Jennifer Hellum, senior lecturer in classics and ancient history at the University of Auckland in New Zealand
Heba Saleh, Cairo correspondent for the Financial Times
Salima Ikram, professor of Egyptology at the American University in Cairo
Photo by KHALED ELFIQI/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock via BBC Images
