كمال الملاخ-حياته

 

June 1986

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Kamal William El-Mallakh

Deputy Editor-in-Chief
Al-Ahram Newspaper
El Galaa Street

Cairo, Egypt

Born: October 25, 1918 in Assiut, Egypt  
Died: October 24, 1998 in Cairo, Egypt
 

Previous employment/positions held.

Deputy Editor-in-Chief, Al-Ahram Newspaper, Cairo 1975 to present

Head, Art Section, Akbar Al-Yam Newspaper, Cairo, 1952-1957

Head, Art and Culture Section, A1-Ahram Newspaper, Cairo, 1950-1952 and 1957-1975

Director of Archaeology and Acting Head of Engineering Division, Department of Antiquities, Egypt, 1950-1957

Visiting professor on the Faculty of Archaeology, Cairo

University; Faculty of Fine Arts and Member of the Board,

Heiwan university; Film Institute of Egypt; Art Academy,

Zagazig University (Cairo); American University in Cairo;

Alexandria University

Guest lecturer at academies, institutes, and universities in Dusseldorf, Nuremberg, and numerous U.S. and European institutions

     (See also listing under Membership in professional/Scientific               Committees and Societies)

Prizes and honors:

  • Highest State Award of Egypt in the Arts, presented by Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, on the occasion of the opening of the Solar Boar Museum, Giza, 1983


  • Award of the Academy of Arts of Egypt, conferred by president

    Anwar Sadat, 1978


  • Decoration for Arts and Literature from Egypt, First Rank


  • Recognition1 First Rank (on Cabinet level) from Egypt, conferred by president Mubarak on the occasion of the inauguration of the Solar Boat Museum, 1983


  • Egyptian State Award for Literature, presented by President Anwar Sadat, 1973


  • Decoration, Cedar of Lebanon (Commendator) , from the Republic of Lebanon


  • Decoration for Arts an& Culture, First Rank, from the Republic of Italy


  • Decoration for Arts and Culture, First Rank, from the Republic of France


Membership in professional/scientific committees and societies:

  • Member, Supreme Council of Archaeology of Egypt, 1972-present


  • Member, Archaeological Committee for Overseas Exhibits of Egyptian Antiquities, 1972-present.  (This Committee arranges and selects such exhibits as that of Tutankhamen.)


  • Deputy Chairman, Egyptian Archaeology Society, 1975-present


  • Founder and Chairman, Annual International Film Festivals held in Cairo (1975-present) and Alexandria (1980-present)


  • Founder and Chairman, Egyptian Association for Film Writers and Critics, 1975


  • Egyptian Representative, united Nations Educational and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) project for the preservation of the Philae monuments in Nubia, 1972-1980


  • Member, International Committee (through UNESCO) for the development of the Cairo Museum


  • Member, Egyptian Higher Council for Arts and Literature and for the plastic Arts Committee


  • Member, Arbitration (Judging) Committee, Film and Festivals Authority of Egypt


  • Member, High Committee for Consultancy on the replanning and beautification of the city of Cairo


  • Member, Cultural Council of Egypt (within the Specialized National Council) , including membership on committees for Archaeology, Tourism, Plastic Arts, and Film


  • scientific consultant, University of Tanta Archaeological Excavations


  • Technical consultant, Ministry of Culture for Egyptian project on documentary films for nationwide distribution


  • Technical consultant for the historical and artistic presentations on the sites of Egyptian monuments (Son et Lumiere" -- "Sound and Light") at the pyramid area of Giza, the temple complex of Karnak in Luxor, and Philae Island at Aswan


  • Member, Academy of Independent Scholars, United States (first non-U~5. citizen to be elected to membership)


  • Member, Egyptian Press Association


  • Member, Egyptian Engineering Society


  • Honorary member, Plastic Artists Society of Egypt


  • Presented with Life Membership, The National Geographic Society, Washington, D. C., 1954


  • Life membership, Cartoonist Association of the United States


  • Honorary citizenship in a number of U.S. cities, including Philadelphia, New Orleans, and Alexandria


Research conducted/projects directed:

Discoverer of the solar (sun) boat of Khufu (Cheops) , builder of the Great Pyramid at Giza, in 1954.  The cedar boat, which is the oldest surviving in the world, was complete with oars, navation and maritime gear, and burial artifacts.  This discovery is widely considered of major significance, ranking near that of the tomb of Tutankhmen.  Articles covering the discovery appeared in the National Geographic and New York Times in the United States and throughout European scientific and mass-media publications.  In 1983 a new museum housing the first solar boat to be excavated and restored was opened. The boat is displayed directly over the pit in which it was discovered.  A second, sealed boat pit also discovered by El-Mallakh lies along the same axis of the Great Pyramid; this has y6t to be opened, pending the decision of El-Mallakh and adequate preparation for protection of the artifacts.

 

Effected the first modern restoration on the Sphinx in 1949 and on the Great, Second, and Third Pyramids of Giza, 1950

Discovered a 5,000-year-old bridge on the Giza plateau (southern side of the Sphinx)

Discoverer, boat pits of pyramid of Khufu's queen November 3, 1953

Restored the monuments of Philae Island near Aswan; discovered a Greek-period swimming pool and other remains at Al-Ashmoneen (including a 6-meter statue of a sitting baboon of granite) as well as restoration of its forum

Approximately 14 years spent in archaeological activities in Upper Egypt during tenure with the Egyptian Department of Antiquities

Restored Al-Arab Tower (Bourg El-Arab) and its fortress; also carried out further excavations of the Abu-Mena churches (Western Desert area of Egypt)

Undertook first restoration of the Giza Pyramids in 1949 (noted earlier) which included interior and exterior restoration

Scientific writer for and consultant on topics for a series of 18 short cultural films on Egyptian civilization; most recent film on St. Catherine's Monastery in Sinai; these films have been shown in international festivals, including those at Cannes, Berlin, Moscow, and New York

Initiator, Alexandria (Egypt) Art Exhibition; member of Arbitration Committee

publications and other works:

Coauthor (with Dr. Robert Bianchi, Brooklyn Museum) Monuments of Aswan and Nubia.  Forthcoming 1987.

Author.  Cairo.  Milan, Italy: for Al-Abram Press, 1986.

Editions in: English, French, German, Italian, and Arabic.

Author of daily/weekly columns on art, archaeology, and culture,

Al-Ahram Newspaper and Al-Ahram Al-Iktasady, over 30 years

to present

Coauthor (with Dr. Robert Bianchi) .  Treasures of the Nile. New York: Newsweek Books, 1980.

Coauthor.  The Gold of Tutankhamun.  New York: Newsweek Books,

1978.  Translation in Japanese, Italian, and French.

German edition issues of Kaizer in the Federal Republic of
Germany.

Lyricist, opera 'Ons Al-Weguod" (in Arabic) and story line for ballet opera Isis

Author of more than 30 books in Arabic, including Al-Hakeem:

A Miser; The Conqueror of the Dark (biography of Taha

Hussein, translated into Chinese and later made into a full-

length film in Arabic) ; Picasso; On Modern Art; A Salon of

Paper; Fire and the Sea; In the Margin of History; Summer

Tales; Fifty Years of Art (with Rushdy Iskander) ; Saif and

Adham Wanly (biographies).

Scripts and commentator for numerous television, radio, and film productions

Educational background:

B.A., Architecture, Cairo, University, 1943 M.A., Egyptian Studies/Archaeology, Cairo University, 1948

Further information:

A description of the discovery of Cheops solar boat/pits is available in the book by Nancy Hanks, A Disc Under the Great pyramid (London: Thames & Hudson} , in English, with German, polish1 and Italian editions.

Listed in International Who's Who of Intellectuals and Who's

   Who in the World

please check:

The Sun Boats_1

The Sun Boats_2

The Sun Boats_3

The Sun Boats_4

The Sun Boats_5

The Sun Boats_6




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