Luxor - Las Vegas

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Cairo - In a potential blow to themed resorts from Vegas to Tokyo, Egypt is to pass a law requiring payment of royalties whenever its ancient monuments, from the pyramids to the sphinx, are reproduced.


Zahi Hawass, the charismatic and controversial head of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities, told AFP on Tuesday that the move was necessary to pay for the upkeep of the country's thousands of pharaonic sites.

"The new law will completely prohibit the duplication of historic Egyptian monuments which the Supreme Council of Antiquities considers 100-percent copies," he said.


"If the law is passed then it will be applied in all countries of the world so that we can protect our interests," Hawass said...


Read More: Egypt to Copyright Pyramids (http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=68&art_id=nw20071225181150885C328825)


don't you think it would be too difficult to prohibit the use of the pyramid shapes as they are very common and could be in any artist's inspiration? or, in case the law was ratified, do you think it will be successfull?

Well it certainly will be profitable for Egypt.

I think it's a good move.

Why not? Our ancestors made it on our land...As far as I see, it's a national Egyptian property and if it can give the Egyptian people benefit then so be it.

What about the current resorts/casinos which are already themed as the Egyption Pyramids? Should the owners pay money for the Egyption Government or what?

Well since pirating of DVDs, CDs, and video games and software is probably very common in Egypt, they should consider it a fair swap.

Well anything built before the copyright is recored "should" be exempt.

And I'm pretty sure that would hold up in any court. Or any court outside of Eygpt.

^ You just answered the question I was going to ask!
I don't think it will be successful, but if it is, then that will bring benefits for egypt and egyptians!

Zahi Hawass, the charismatic and controversial head of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities, told AFP on Tuesday that the move was necessary to pay for the upkeep of the country's thousands of pharaonic sites.

Although I'm not a fan of Hawass, I agree with him here, they need looking after. But instead of copyrighting why not charge the tourists more money to enter the sites.

I think the most I paid to enter was 60LE which would have been $AU20. I would have gladly paid more to see the upkeep of the sites.

Why not? Our ancestors made it on our land..

Actually the Arab Muslims invaded Egypt in 639CE and have been there ever since. The Ancient Egyptians weren't Semitic. The Arab Muslims are now the caretakers of these sites and as long as they don't go all Taliban-like. It will all be good. :)

^ even if the arab muslims are not the descendents of the pharaohs, we have to consider the Current government with its current people. it is now their land's history; if not their fathers'.

I know what it is to live in a country that is not my ancestral home. But I can't say that the Indigenous people of Australia are my ancestors, nor can I credit my ancestors for the Aboriginal rock paintings. But we have only been here 200+ years so its a lot easier to remember stuff like that. I guess over 1500 years it might become a little blurry.

They certainly have the right to do it. People have copyrighted and fought over smaller things. Much smaller things.

What next? "Palestinians" copyrighting the suicide belt?

It's a mad mad world.

About time ...

I remember throughout my school years all my Egyptian teachers talked about how the pyramids could be used in a way to increase the country's income and help out many poor Egyptians who really need even a 'Jenaih'.

So if this is one way, then they have all the right to do it, seeing how tough life is for many Egyptians.

I believe that if the pyramids were in another country, they would've done more than this, they'd use the pyramids in every way to get money out of people, which is something Egypt isn't doing.

Bad move, this can never be accomplished and is really stupid and silly thought. A Pyramid is a shape for god's sake, now they want the school book printers to pay royalty to Egypt when printing the maths related books?
About the sphinx and all, they should be happy with the things they got from ancestors, if this is successful then guess what's next?
Japan copyrighting Katana swords? China copyrighting kicks? Europeans copyrighting passing the football in a technical way and scoring with style?
Stupid thought!

They can copyright it till the cows come how.

How they can impement it internationally is another matter.