Page 54 - آثار مصر الفرعونية الجزء الأول

At one time, various people even attempted to set records for
scaling the monument

During World War II, there were even gun emplacements
built on its apex. The Egyptological community, and particularly
Zahi Hawass can be credited for bringing that to a halt. No longer
are people allowed to climb it (unless very special permission is
granted), and its investigation today is always non-intrusive.
Planes are not allowed to fly above it and in general, it receives
the national protection it deserves.

Nevertheless, it has been and continues to be a place of
considerable activity. Races were often held at the pyramids, and
in recent years, it has served as a backdrop for artistic displays
and musical performances. With Zahi Hawass as Chairman of the
SCA, it is doubtful that we will see many more performances by
artists such as Sting and the Grateful Dead, but it remains the
primary venue for Verdi's Aida opera.

Perhaps one of the most interesting aspects of Khufu's
pyramid complex is the amazing amount of investigation it has
received, and the astonishing degree of controversy that it has
inspired. The research of the complex continues even today, and
new discoveries, sometimes major ones, have been made even in
recent years. For example, only very recently, the estimated
number of blocks used to build the pyramid itself has been cut
almost in half.

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