Zahi Hawass Resigns

Just a note to mention that Zahi Hawass, egomaniacal chief of antiquities in Egypt, has resigned as part of a government shake-up. As a parting shot he posted a list on his web site of museums and archaeological sites that have been looted since the protests against Mubarak began, some of which seems to be wrong or exaggerated.

I had been pondering Hawass as a peculiar case of the world's injustice, since every archaeologist I know despises him, and the better they know him and his work the more they despise him. Hawass' career seemed to prove that for the able manipulator, the hatred of one's peers need not matter. But now that he has been tumbled from his perch by events beyond his control, we will see if his return to the top is impeded by having alienated the entire archaeological profession.