Howard Carter celebrated in Google doodle

Howard Carter celebrated in Google doodle
Google homepage graphic pays tribute to archaeologist who discovered Tutankhamun's tomb in 1922

Staff
guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 9 May 2012 01.36 BST

Howard Carter celebrated in a Google doodle. Photograph: Screengrab
The birthday of Howard Carter, who discovered the tomb of Tutankhamun in 1922, is celebrated in the latest Google doodle, a colourful graphic depicting the British archaeologist admiring an array of ancient Egyptian treasures.

The unearthing of the tomb, which had been undisturbed for more than 3,000 years, was the first time that the final resting place of a pharaoh and all his treasures had been found by modern-day archaeologists.

Carter, who was born on 9 May 1874 in London, originally trained as an artist and was sent to Egypt at the age of 17 to assist in the excavation and recording of ancient Egyptian tombs. He was appointed as the first chief inspector of the Egyptian Antiquities Service (EAS) in 1899 and supervised a number of excavations at Thebes, now known as Luxor, before he was transferred in 1904 to the Inspectorate of Lower Egypt.

He was employed from 1907 by Lord Carnarvon to supervise his Egyptian excavations but came under pressure to make a major breakthrough after what the aristocrat regarded as a series of disappointing results.

It came in November 1922, when Carter wrote in his pocket diary: "Discovered tomb under tomb of Ramsses VI investigated same & found seals intact."

He is said recorded as having made the breach into the tomb with a chisel his grandmother had given him for his 17th birthday.

Asked by Carnarvon: "Can you see anything?", archaeologist replied with the now-famous words: "Yes, wonderful things."

Carter then became the first human in 33 centuries to enter the tomb, and spent years documenting the thousands of artefacts from the tomb.

A total of 5,398 objects were found, covering every aspect of ancient Egyptian life, from weapons and chariots to musical instruments, clothes, cosmetics and a treasured lock of the royal grandmother's hair.

He died from Lymphoma in 1939 at the age of 64, just seven years after his excavation ended, and before he could fully publish his findings.

Carter's complete records of the excavation were deposited in the Griffith Institute Archive at the University of Oxford, which has been building an online database.


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Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, set for Cup of Nations

Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, set for Cup of Nations

By Nick Reeves | AFP News – 36 minutes ago

For lovers of the beautiful game focus over the next three weeks falls on Gabon and Equatorial Guinea where from Saturday the oil rich neighbours co-host the 28th Africa Cup of Nations.

Like a lord mayor's banquet without the principal guest this feast of football takes place bereft of continental kings Egypt, winners of the last three editions.

Adding further intrigue in a topsy turvy qualifying race African superpowers Cameroon, Nigeria and South Africa have also failed to turn up.

In this quartet's absence World Cup quarter-finalists Ghana and Didier Drogba's Ivory Coast are favourites to claim a prize that has alluded both for far too long.

The 2012 Nations Cup cast list is full of surprises, not least Libya, who qualified against the backdrop of the bloody overthrowing of Moamer Kadhafi's regime.

Plaudits too should be flung at Niger and Botswana's feet, these two minnows with Equatorial Guinea taking their place at the high table of African football for the first time.

Gabon and Equatorial Guinea have invested massively in improving or building from scratch stadia, roads and hotels to prepare for their sojourn in the spotlight.

Both nations have met the deadline, but it has been a close run thing - the keys to Gabon's stadium in Franceville were only delivered on Monday.

"We have two objectives," said Laure Olga Gondjout, secretary general to Gabon President Ali Bongo.

"For the people of Gabon to win the 'palme d'or' for organising a successful Africa Cup of Nations and for the senior team to emulate the juniors (the title winning under-23 side) and lift the trophy."

Equatorial Guinea get the show on the road against the Libyans in Bata on Saturday with far more than national pride at stake.

The son of the country's autocratic president Teodoro Obiang is offering the players' a stunning $1 million cash incentive to win the Nations Cup curtain raiser, and $20,000 for every goal they score.

President Obiang wants the Nations Cup to serve as a shop window for his country.

"The only reason for winning (the right to host) the Cup is to present the best image of our country, to sell our image," he declared.

Pride, not money, is what is motivating Ghana and Ivory Coast.

Ghana last grabbed gold 30 years ago when pipping hosts Libya in a Tripoli penalty shootout.

Coach Goran Stevanovic says: "We were runners-up at the last Cup of Nations in Angola two years ago and a repeat of what has already been achieved is not good enough."

Ivory Coast have earned the unwanted reputation as 'chokers' after fluffing their lines in the quarter-finals in the last two Cups.

"Our ambition is to improve on two years ago when we were eliminated in the quarter-finals," said Chelsea star Drogba.

Newcastle United's Ivorian midfielder Cheik Tiote paints a more dramatic picture for a country whose sole success came two decades ago.

"We have great players so we have to win something -- we have to win this Cup of Nations.

"Every time there is an African tournament people tell us that we are favourites to win, but when you look at our trophy cabinet there is nothing there. Absolutely nothing."

A plethora of Premer League stars have answered their countries' call to African arms, often at the frustration of their club managers back in England.

Manchester City are harder hit than most, with coach Roberto Mancini glumly resigned to losing Ivorian brothers Yaya Toure and Kolo Toure at a crucial part of the season.

As well as Tiote Newcastle will miss in-form Demba Ba, the big centre-forward who has scored 15 goals in 19 appearances since his arrival.

If fortune smiles on Ba or new recruit Papiss Demba Cisse's Senegal or Tiote's Ivory Coast and they manage to make it to the February 12 final they can expect a familiar face in the crowd in Libreville.

"The one thing I will do is that if either is in the final I’ll be going out to make sure they come home," promised Newcastle manager Alan Pardew.

"They won’t be partying for a week after or anything -- they’ll definitely see me in the stand if they get to the final."

Source: Yahoo News