Archaeologist with a mission
French archaeologist Jean-Yves Empereur tells Al-Ahram Weekly about his 13-year-long quest to preserve the ancient city of Alexandria
Jean Yves Empereur
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Since he first came to Alexandria in 1990, French archaeologist Jean Yves Empereur's name has been linked to the excavation of the city's ancient wonders. Empereur first came to Alexandria at the request of the Egyptian government which needed the excavation of a site upon which an official compound was to be built. He undertook a number of rescue excavations in the Catacombs of Kom Al-Shuqafa and Al-Qabbari necropolis, protecting the last traces of the ancient city's splendour from fast- paced urban development.
Under the sea bed of the Qayet-bay fortress, Empereur recovered several thousand blocks from the famous lighthouse, known as one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, as well as a number of statues and columns that once decorated its entrance. He also established the renowned Centre D'Etudes Alexandrines (CEA) where he and his team -- which includes both foreign and Egyptian professional archaeologists, restorers, photographers and architects -- study, document and publish details of their discoveries.
"Our rescue excavation missions in Alexandria are totally different from the other classical ones spread all over Egypt's archaeological sites," explained Empereur. His work is continuous and is managed in terms of years in order to protect the city's heritage from modern development. "Classical" excavation missions are temporary and last for only four to six months a year, in protected archaeological sites.
"We are working in very bad conditions," said Empereur who explained that pressure exerted by owners of excavation sites who want to resume construction work does not allow enough time for excavation and documentation. The weather too has a negative impact on their work. "In winter it rains. In summer the sun is too hot," he lamented.
"As the port and capital of the Hellenistic and Ptolemaic eras as well as a major centre of Jewish, Coptic and Islamic culture, every place you dig in Alexandria, something important from the ancient city can turn up," he asserted. According to Empereur, Alexandria is the only city in Egypt where the modern city is built directly on top of the ancient one. "Compare this to Cairo where every civilisation built on a new site. For example, Fustat is far away from Fatimid and Coptic Cairo," he pointed out.
"It is really too difficult to rescue the landmarks of Alexandria's ancient city," stated Empereur. "We obviously cannot stand against the city's modern development, but we must respect the city's heritage. It is too hard to sustain the balance."
In spite of the fact that travellers in ancient times left detailed accounts of the old city, nothing of that city can be seen today. "Only a handful of sites can be viewed today. Tourists are always shocked when they visit Alexandria. They can see nothing of what they admired in books."
This is not to say that efforts so far have not been fruitful. "Thanks to rescue excavation, we have been able to better understand the city's 2500 year history, register its different strata and shed new light on some sites that can now be an additional economic value and attract more tourists." For example in Al- Qabbari area a segment of the Tulunid city wall and spectacular 200 metre-long necropolis were discovered when the government decided to add a ramp to the flyover linking Alexandria's western harbour with the Alexandria-Cairo desert road. There is also the former site of the Diana Theatre in downtown Alexandria where a coloured mosaic featuring the Greek deity medusa, a Terracotta mould of an Alexander the Great portrait and a number of wooden and clay pipes dating back to Islamic time were discovered. At the site of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, a mosaic depicting a domesticated dog as well as several other artefacts were also found.
In 1994, when Empereur started his underwater excavations of the sea bed, he recovered a number of sphinxes from the reign of Psammetick II, three thousand building blocks, half a dozen papyrus columns, Seti I's obelisk and a colossi featuring a Ptolemy as Pharaoh.
"I always dream of an underwater park, where a diver could swim around the different features of the sunken city and play with sunken sphinxes," said Empereur.
He added that constructing an underwater museum is not the right solution to make these sunken treasures available to the public. Alexandria's sea, known for its stormy weather and strong waves, could easily destroy and sweep away the plexi-glass museum suggested recently by the Ministry of Culture and the Supreme Council of Antiquities in accordance with a plan outlined by UNESCO. Other reasons against building the museum are its high construction expenses and the seaweed that would stick to the glass. "But opening this area for diving would be efficient if the Alexandrian government changed the path of Alexandria's sewage system which currently pollutes the sea water in the excavation area," said Empereur. He added that a visitors' centre near the site could be built to orient divers visiting the area. Another option he suggested was the use of glass-bottom boats such as those used in the Red Sea.
His job may be a challenging one and frustrating at times, but Empereur will not be daunted. "I fell in love with Alexandria and I will be always be her archaeological rescuer."
Interview by Nevine El-Aref
