The Mystery Of The Mansoor Amarna Collection

05/30/2020

OBITUARY
Henry Mansoor
MAY 13, 1934 – APRIL 25, 2020

The Entire Crew Of LIVICATED Productions Is So Sad To Learn About Henry Mansoor Passing!! Nous partageons votre peine en ce moment de deuil et vous assurons de nos sentiments les plus affectueux.

We spent 2 weeks in Cairo Egypt with Henry, filming on location where he grew up, we visited Tel El Amarna (Akhenaton City) and we took a 3 days cruise of the Nile, unbelievable memories. Thank You Henry & Rest In Love!!

Obituary of Henry Mansoor
Henry Mansoor was born on May 13, 1934, in Cairo, Egypt. He was the youngest of ten children born to M.A. Mansoor and Isabelle (Phares) Mansoor. After completing his Baccalaureate, Henry decided to follow in his father’s footsteps. He and his brothers worked side-by-side, transitioning the family business from Egyptian and Greek/Roman antiquities to importing jewelry and art objects from Europe, Asia, and Japan. Henry and his brothers had several stores throughout Cairo including at the Semiramis Hotel. It was there that he spotted a young lady working at the bookstore of the hotel. For Henry, it was love at first sight. He knew she was the woman who was to be his wife. Henry and Roxane (Vlahos) Mansoor married on May 17, 1959. In 1960, Henry and his new bride immigrated to the United States, first to California’s Bay Area, then later settling in the San Fernando Valley just outside of Los Angeles. This is where he called home until his passing on April 25, 2020. In 1965, Henry opened his International Shop at the famed Farmer’s Market. For more than 20 years, he found joy in introducing and sharing his knowledge of Egyptology to everyone he met and could talk for hours about the collection of Amarna art amassed by his father. Over the years he expanded his knowledge to include Chinese and Japanese arts and antiques becoming a certified appraiser in all three areas of art. Henry had a profound love for his faith. He was raised Coptic Orthodox in Egypt. Once moving to the Valley, he became an active member of St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church in Northridge. Henry served on the church’s parish council and the board of the church’s Boy Scout Troop. Ever the businessman, Henry was also an instrumental part of the Valley Greek Festival. Henry also worked with local Coptic churches and organizations helping young Copts in Egypt. Henry is survived by his wife, Roxane, and his two children: George Mansoor and Christine Mansoor, his daughter-in-law, Erin Mansoor, and five grandchildren: Luke, Grace, and Katherine Mansoor; and Isabella and Emma Weber. He is also survived by his brother, Michel Mansoor, and sister, Mary (Mimi) Thomson; and many nieces and nephews.

05/30/2020

https://tim-theegyptians.blogspot.com/2016/05/the-mansoor-amarna-collection.html

Above we have a famous and charming Amarna royal couple from the collection of Berlin's Neues Museum. A second look reveals all the cha...

04/15/2018

When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth?
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes detective stories creator!

12/14/2016

Cairo Museum's Report On The Mansoor Amarna Collection

Mr. Mansour Abd El Said has a collection of sculpture pieces of El-Amarna type including some heads, plaques and statuettes. There were some arguments about their genuineness amongst the archaeologists. Mr. Etienne Drioton, Director General of the Antiquities Department, had asked the late Mr. A. Lu...

03/07/2016

The list of scientists who think the Mansoor Amarna Collection is Genuine and the ones against the collection.

11/10/2015

Thermal Scans Of Egypt's Great Pyramid Reveal 'Impressive' Anomaly "We have several hypothesis but no conclusion for the moment."

Thermal scans of the Great Pyramid of Giza have revealed an "impressive" anomaly in the rock -- a change in temperature that could indicate something behind the 4,500-year-old walls.

"This anomaly is really quite impressive and it’s just in front of us, at the ground level," said Mehdi Tayoubi, founder of the Paris-based Heritage Innovation Preservation Institute that is conducting the Scan Pyramids experiments using a mix of infrared thermography, muon radiography and 3D reconstruction.

The anomaly is located on the eastern side of the pyramid, also known as the pyramid of Khufu, as can be seen in this image provided by the organization:

The scans were conducted at different times of the day and night; temperatures were measured as the stones grew warmer and cooled off. While the temperature differences between most adjacent stones typically varied by between 0.1 degrees and 0.5 degrees, this one particular segment had a 6-degree variation, as can be seen in the thermal scans:

"We have several hypothesis but no conclusion for the moment," said Tayoubi.

Egyptian Antiquities Minister Mamdouh el-Damaty said he also had several hypotheses, but wanted to do more research before revealing them.

“It could be void spaces, fissures or passages," he told Ahram Online. "So far, I do not know."

El-Damaty told The Associated Press that closer inspection of the site found what appeared to be "a small passage in the ground" on the eastern side leading up to the area with the temperature change.

Egyptologist Beth Ann Judas said it makes sense that the anomaly is on the eastern side of the pyramid as that was in many ways the "focal point" of the pyramid, with several major temples and tombs located on that side.

"The Nile was to the east of the pyramid, and most everyone would have approached from the east," she said. "Pyramids also have a connection to the solar aspect, and the cult of the god Ra, in ancient Egyptian religion."

Judas, who has done several seasons of fieldwork in Egypt, said the Khufu pyramid contains the most complex series of passages of any of the pyramids and may have had several design changes during construction.

The original burial chamber, for example, is below ground. However, the eventual final resting place of the pharaoh was the "King's Chamber" located near the top of the pyramid.

Judas said whatever is responsible for the anomaly could be connected to the earliest phases of the construction and that first burial chamber.

"At the very least, this anomaly will shed additional light on the construction techniques of the 4th dynasty Egyptians," said Judas. "It's rather exciting actually. Over the past few years, archaeologists have been learning more about the workmen and officials who are connected to the pyramids, and this gives us more information about their work."

Several other anomalies found at the Khufu pyramid, as well as on other monuments, will be examined as the Scan Pyramids project continues through 2016.

https://vimeo.com/143189512

This is "ScanPyramids Mission Teaser_English Version" by HIP Institute on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them.

10/30/2015

THE SAGA OF THE LOUVRE AMARNA PRINCESS

Louvre Artifact # DAE, E 27215

What kind of foolish people, would decline an offer to sell an artifact, they deem to be a fake, for $ 1,000,000.00- yes, ONE MILLION US$?

With my apologies to France, the answer is : the current Director of the Louvre and his staff of Egyptologists!
The following is a synopsis of an unbelievable blunder by one of the world's most prestigious institutions : the Louvre Museum. For the full story, please refer to “The Saga of the Louvre Princess “ @ http://www.mansooramarnacollection.com >
In 1981, the family of the late M.A. Mansoor, antiquarian in Cairo, donated to the Louvre Museum, an Ancient Egyptian statuette of a Princess, in pink limestone, daughter of Akhenaton and Nefertiti, to honor the memory of the late Etienne Drioton( Google “ Etienne Drioton” for more information on him ). The artifact was accepted by the Louvre,upon the recommendation of legendary Egyptologist Dr. Christiane Desroches Noblecourt. There it stayed until Dr. Noblecourt's retirement, then it mysteriously disappeared. Our inquiry brought the lame response, by Dr. Christiane Ziegler, then Chief Egyptologist at the Louvre, that the Louvre was running out of space! Several years later, we inquired again about the artifact. This time the response by Dr. Guillemette Andreu Lanoë was really a shocker, since she claimed that the artifact was a " fake"! Attempts to " reason" with her brought no satisfactory solution, so we asked for the return of the artifact. This time, the Director of the Louvre, Mr. Henri Loyrette responded that the artifact was entered in the inventory of the National Museums and taking it out, would require the approval of the Director of the National Patrimony and that it would take months to remove from the inventory. We think he was trying to discourage us and telling us to forget it. Attempts to contact that Director, brought no response either and one wonders if that person really exists. We contacted Mr. Frédéric Mitterand, Ministre de la Culture without any success either!We even went as far as appealing to then President Sarkozy, but at the time he was engaged in a presidential election which he subsequently lost and the response from his Chef du bureau was no help.
There the matter stood, until a member of the Mansoor family, offered the Louvre $ 1,000,000.00 ( One Million US dollars) for the return of the artifact ( see letter in the Mansoor Amarna Collection web site, the Saga of the Louvre Princess). Another shocker, this one by the Director of the Louvre. This man should have been a politician! He wrote a two page letter- see letter in the Mansoor Amarna Collection web site- repeated what he told us these past two years, essentially said nothing, except that the artifact will remain in the Louvre! If he were smart, he should have accepted the offer, got rid of a " fake" and made $ 1,000,000.00 to boot !
One wonders what is going on at the Louvre.
The current Director, and Egyptology staff, could have easily solved this quandary by following the Louvre's own protocol, referred to by Dr. Noblecourt: i.e.artifacts entering the Louvre MUST be approved by its scientific staff. Had they done so, they would have easily recognized their error. But common sense does not enter in this matter. The Louvre's Egyptologists submit to the opinion of one Dietrich Wildung, a sworn enemy of the MAC and the Mansoor name!
So, what exactly is the responsibility of the so called Egyptologists at the Louvre. Protect interests of the Louvre, by submitting the artifact to THEIR OWN SCIENTISTS or listen to the opinion of this Wildung?
What exactly is the function of the Louvre's Museum Director ? An artifact of this rarity must be accorded some " respect". Did he read what HIS OWN SCIENTISTS wrote in 1981? With today's vast technology, did he bother to have the artifact reexamined scientifically? Obviously, he does not realize the importance of this artifact? Some director!
We wrote Dr. Bruno Laurioux of the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique ( CNRS). But he did not respond. Did someone, at the Louvre, order him to keep silent?
If , according to the Louvre's Egyptologists, the artifact is a fake, why didn't they get rid of it when we asked for its return?
And why decline an offer of ONE MILLION DOLLARS for a" fake"? They KNOW THIS IS AN ANCIENT ARTIFACT, and they don't want it out of their hands. They know the artifact is worth many, many,many times the amount offered and , a source close to the Louvre, told us, they are holding out for a higher offer. That is being dishonest.They are kicking the problem down the road and letting the next Director of the Louvre( see about Mr. Loyrette’s retirement, further down) and the next " generation" of Egyptologists decide its fate.
Frankly, we fear for the safety of the artifact, consider it to be in hostile hands and demand its return WITHOUT THE PAYMENT OF ONE MILLION DOLLARS.
One final observation: AGLAE, a state of the art research center owned by the Louvre, IS LOCATED IN THE BASEMENT OF THE LOUVRE! How difficult is it to send the artifact with a low level employee to the AGLAE center for a reexamination of the object? Common sense would dictate that, but this Wildung is watching and woe to whoever goes against his decision.
This whole cabal is unworthy of an honorable establishment such as the Louvre. Belgian Egyptologist Professor Claude Vandersleyen said that “Egyptology” is a "MAFIA" and the Louvre's Egyptologists have proved him right and it is up to the Government of France to clean up this mess and restore the reputation of the Louvre!
The world of Art will hold the current administration of the Louvre and its Egyptologists responsible for any harm done to this artifact.
Is there ONE person of courage and integrity at the Louvre, who could solve this problem ? I can think of one! I understand that the current Director of the Louvre Museum, Mr. Henri Loyrette, is retiring in April 2013. Would he have the courage and integrity to solve this problem, before or after he leaves ? Time will tell.
Another person of integrity and courage I can think of, is the same aforementioned Professor Vandersleyen. At one time he tried to come out for the Mansoor Collection, but the Mafia got to him.( see his letter @ http://www.mansooramarnacollection.com/correspondence/itsamafia.shtml ).The letter is self explanatory.Its a shame. This mafia is trying to destroy an honest man. This is what the “wall of silence” that Wildung built around the collection will do for you. But now that Wildung is on the decline, maybe another person of courage will show up.
This is a synopsis of a " sad and dishonest" affair, perpetrated by the staff of the Louvre, which was once one of the most revered institutions of the world. The entire story is published in our web site http://www.mansooramarnacollection.com/, just click on” the Saga of the Louvre Princess”
Your comments, questions and suggestions are welcome

06/15/2015

AMAZING

The seeds of the Moringa oleifera tree have been used to purify water and clean crockery since the days of ancient Egypt, but up until now scientists weren't sure exactly how they worked. Thanks to a new paper published in the journal Langmuir by...

05/29/2015

New summer class offered at UCLA, taught by recent PhD Emily Cole. This is your chance to learn Egyptian Hieroglyphs!

05/29/2015

The ancient Egyptian people were grouped in a hierarchical system with the Pharaoh at the top and farmers and slaves at the bottom. The groups of people nearest the top of society were the richest and most powerful.

The diagram shows the structure of ancient Egyptian society.

Pharaoh

The Pharaoh was believed to be a God on earth and had the most power. He was responsible for making laws and keeping order, ensuring that Egypt was not attacked or invaded by enemies and for keeping the Gods happy so that the Nile flooded and there was a good harvest.

Vizier

The Vizier was the Pharaoh's chief advisor and was sometimes also the High Priest. He was responsible for overseeing administration and all official documents had to have his seal of approval. He was also responsible for the supply of food, settling disputes between nobles and the running and protection of the Pharaoh's household.

Egyptian Nobles

Nobles ruled the regions of Egypt (Nomes). They were responsible for making local laws and keeping order in their region.

Priest

Priests were responsible for keeping the Gods happy. They did not preach to people but spent their time performing rituals and ceremonies to the God of their temple.

Scribes

Scribes were the only people who could read and write and were responsible for keeping records. The ancient Egyptians recorded things such as how much food was produced at harvest time, how many soldiers were in the army, numbers of workers and the number of gifts given to the Gods.

Soldiers

Soldiers were responsible for the defence of the country. Many second sons, including those of the Pharaoh often chose to join the army. Soldiers were allowed to share riches captured from enemies and were also rewarded with land for their service to the country.

Craftsmen

Craftsmen were skilled workers such as - pottery makers, leatherworkers, sculptors, painters, weavers, jewellery makers, shoe makers, tailors. Groups of craftsmen often worked together in workshops.

Farmer

Farmers worked the land of the Pharaoh and nobles and were given housing, food and clothes in return.

Some farmers rented land from nobles and had to pay a percentage of their crop as their rent.

egyptian slave

There were no slave markets or auctions in Ancient Egypt. Slaves were usually prisoners captured in war. Slaves could be found in the households of the Pharaoh and nobles, working in mines and quarries and also in temples.

05/29/2015

Queen Nefertiti, currently on display at Berlin’s Neues Museum, remains one of Egypt’s top plundered artifacts.

CAIRO: Several museums all over the world house ancient Egyptian treasures but the iconic bust of Queen Nefertiti, currently on display at Berlin’s Neues Museum, remains one of Egypt’s top plundered artifacts.

The 3,300-year-old painted limestone bust was discovered by German archaeologist Ludwig Borchardt during a 1912 excavation work that took place in at the ancient settlement of Tell el-Amarna, 150 kilometers south of Cairo, former head of the Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA) Abdel Haleem Noureddin told The Cairo Post.

“According to Law No.14 for the year 1912 concerning antiquities, findings during legal excavations are equally shared between the excavator and the antiquities authority,” said Noureddin.

In order to be able to keep his most valuable find, Borchardt seemed to “have deliberately misled the Egyptian authorities by claiming that the bust belonged to an unknown Egyptian princess, showing pictures of the bust taken in poor light and by lying about its historical significance,” according to Noureddin.

The SCA has repeatedly asked museum curators and official authorities of countries housing ancient Egyptian artifacts to give them back, or at least let them return to Egypt on a temporary basis, said Noureddin adding that these countries, including Germany, insist their ownership of Egyptian artifacts is “not questioned.”

“Nefertiti’s bust is definitely the most vivid artifact from the reign of Akhenaten. Although it is way smaller than the Great Pyramid at Giza, it is of no less global fame,” Mahmoud Afifi, head of the Central Administration of Middle Egypt’s Antiquities Department told The Cairo Post.

The bust is very well preserved with a symmetrical face. It is 50 centimeters high and weighs 19 kilograms (41 lbs.)

“The queen is portrayed with her elegant facial features held proud and high on a delicate neck, wearing a blue crown with a golden diadem band along with a broad collar adorned with a floral pattern,” said Afifi.

Queen Nefertiti was the wife of Pharoah Akhenaten (1353B.C–1336B.C) the “heretic pharaoh” who was the first recorded monotheist on earth, archaeologist Sherif el-Sabban told The Cairo Post.

“Two years after ascending the throne of Egypt, the Pharaoh, along with Nefertiti, has overthrown the old gods in favor of the solar god Aten. They also have abandoned Thebes, [now Luxor] Egypt’s historical capital city and built a new capital dedicated to the Aten’s worship in Minya’s east bank,” said Sabban.

Akhenaten was the predecessor of King Tutankhamun, so Queen Nefertiti, whose name literally means “the beautiful one approaches,” could have been Tut’s mother, according to Sabban.