Egypt Is Covering One of Its Ancient Pyramids in Granite and It’s Causing Serious Outrage

News of a new restoration project in Egypt has caused division among experts and the public. The Pyramid of Menkaure, believed to be built 4,000 years ago and designed as the final resting place of the pharaoh Menkaure, is being given a facelift. Originally built from limestone, granite and mortar, the project aims to cover the pyramid with granite, a move that is troubling many people.

This project will cover the pyramid with granite

In a video posted on Facebook, the head of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities, Mustafa Waziri, announced the project to cover Menkaure's pyramid with granite is already underway. Waziri stands in front of the pyramid, the smallest of a trio of pyramids at Giza, Cairo, and behind him are layers of gray blocks clearly visible.

The project, which Waziri is calling "Egypt's gift to the world," aims to return the 213-foot pyramid to its original state so visitors can experience the site the same way it was when it was first constructed nearly 5,000 years ago. It must have been time. First. It is expected to take three years to complete and will be achieved with the help of Japanese partners.

While the effort is being described as "the project of the century" by local archaeologists, reactions from other heritage and Egyptology experts have been less welcoming. Most prominently, it is being criticized by many who believe that the best course of action is to leave the pyramid in its original state. "When will we stop the absurdity in the management of Egypt's heritage?" Questioned Egyptologist Monica Hanna.

“Interfering with the nature of the monument could cause visible problems and major damage,” he explained, stressing that the project goes against all principles of conservation. Additionally, he believes that the project's Japanese partners, despite having access to the right technology, lack the archaeological expertise needed to preserve the pyramid's condition.

Hussein Bassir, director of antiquities at the Biblioteca Alexandrina, said the project should be undertaken with extreme caution and should be continued only after considering all the risks involved. Alternatively, Salima Ikram, an Egyptologist at the American University in Cairo, said that such a project could be accomplished "as long as the stones used are those found in its vicinity, and new stones are not added. Which do not belong to the pyramid." However, it is not clear whether this is part of the plan or not.

People are expressing their anger on social media

While experts in the field remain adamant on the project, many have turned to social media to voice their opinions on the matter after discovering the news. Most of the comments are against the project, with people posting things like, "When will the project to straighten the Leaning Tower of Pisa be planned?" and "Instead of tiles, why not wallpaper the pyramids?"

One person wrote, “This is destroying an ancient monument, not only of today's Egypt but the heritage of all humanity. Please respect the past, don't create a Disneyland out of ancient heritage. These monuments are not just for those who want to take good selfie photos.

Read more: 4,400-year-old lost rooms found in ancient Egypt's Sahura pyramid

The negative reaction from experts and the public led the Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities to call for the project to be halted to re-examine its overall feasibility.