CNN's Ben Wedeman reports on Egypt's efforts to regain lost artifacts plundered during the age of European domination.

Iraq's National Museum is partnering with Google to offer a virtual tour of the museum. CNN's Mohammed Jamjoom reports.

By Ben Wedeman
CNN

ABUSIR, Egypt (CNN) - Today, I met Cleopatra's lawyer. Well, not her lawyer but someone who is determined to defend the legendary queen against centuries of bad publicity.

Kathleen Martinez, an archaeologist from the Dominican Republic, wants to mend Cleopatra's tattered reputation.

Kathleen Martinez is a young archaeologist from the Dominican Republic who has toiled for three years on a barren hillside overlooking the coastal highway linking Alexandria with the Libyan border. According to the Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities, it's here, at a spot known as Abusir, that the tomb of Marc Antony and Cleopatra might be located.

I met Martinez in a dusty tomb full of bones at the excavation site. She recounted to me that, as a young girl, she listened in on a scholarly discussion in her father's library about Cleopatra.

"They were speaking very badly about her and about her image," she recalled. "I got very upset. I said I didn't believe what they are saying, that I needed to study more about her."

Martinez went on to earn a law degree but continued to be fascinated by the saga of Cleopatra. Four years ago, she managed to convince Zahi Hawass, the untiring director of the Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities, to allow her to start excavating at Abusir.

Her fascination with - and admiration for - Cleopatra is intense. The last queen of Ancient Egypt, she told me, "spoke nine languages, she was a philosopher, she was a poet, she was a politician, she was a goddess, and she was a warrior."

In short, Martinez believes, Cleopatra was a woman way ahead of her times.

And given that history is written by the victors - in Cleopatra's case, the Romans - her press was somewhat less than complimentary. It was "bad propaganda," in Martinez's words. For that reason, she told me, "I want to be Cleopatra's lawyer."

With Hawass, Martinez is now working on a book about Cleopatra to repair all that damage.

The tale of Antony and Cleopatra has fueled the popular imagination for centuries. Ill-fated lovers were a favorite theme for William Shakespeare, and the Roman noble and the Egyptian queen certainly fit the bill.

Marc Antony was a no less fascinating character than Cleopatra. In his youth, he led a life of heavy drinking and womanizing. According to the Roman historian Plutarch, Antony accumulated debts of 250 talents, the equivalent of $5 million, before reaching 20.

To escape his creditors in Rome, he fled to Greece, where he studied with the philosophers of Athens, before being called to join the Roman legions in the east, then serving under Julius Caesar.

After Caesar's assassination, Marc Antony became embroiled in a series of power struggles and eventually ended up in Egypt.

Egypt was the enemy of his former ally, Octavian, who would go on to become the Emperor Augustus, the first emperor of Rome.

Octavian defeated Antony's forces at the battle of Actium in 30 B.C. Shortly afterward, Antony and Cleopatra committed suicide, he by his own sword, she by a poisonous asp.

Octavian, according to Plutarch, allowed them to be buried together "in splendid and regal fashion." But no one knows where.

The sudden focus on Antony and Cleopatra has also reignited an old debate over the latter's looks. Was Cleopatra a stunning beauty a la Elizabeth Taylor, or somewhat less spectacular?

Researchers from Newcastle University in England claimed in 2007 that, based upon coins found from the period, she was quite homely, with "a shallow forehead, long, pointed nose, narrow lips and a sharply pointed chin."

The same researchers didn't have a very flattering assessment of Marc Antony either, saying he had "bulging eyes, a large hooked nose and a thick neck." No Richard Burton.

This does contradict Plutarch's description of Marc Antony as having "a noble dignity of form; and a shapely beard, a broad forehead, and an aquiline nose [that] were thought to show the virile qualities peculiar to the portraits and statues of Hercules"?

Hawass hasn't had much to say in defense of Marc Antony, but he claims the coins found in Abusir show Cleopatra was "beautiful."

At Abusir, he showed me one of the coins with Cleopatra's likeness. "The only thing you can see here is her nose is a bit big."

That's because, Hawass insisted, "when you draw a face on a coin you cannot draw the beauty of a queen, and therefore I think that the lady who captured the hearts of Julius Caesar and Marc Antony cannot have been ugly."

Egyptians, who are intensely proud of their country and its ancient heritage, may be forgiven for their insistence on this point.

I tend to take the middle ground on this one. Beauty is more than skin deep, and what seems to have captivated Julius Caesar and Marc Antony was not physical but rather inner beauty. Watch report from CNN's Ben Wedeman on Cleopatra »

Plutarch wrote in his "Life of Antony" that "for her beauty was in itself not altogether incomparable, nor such as to strike those who saw her." In other words, she was plain. Plutarch goes on to write, however, that she was intelligent, charming and has "sweetness in the tones of her voice."

The mystery of what Cleopatra really looked like may never be solved. In any event, it's just one of many mysteries in Egypt.

Others include the obvious ones: How were the pyramids built? Who built them? Why were they built? How old is the Sphinx?

Hawass dismisses with lusty contempt the people who espouse the more fantastic theories (that aliens built the pyramids, that the Sphinx is more than 10,000 years old), labeling them "pyramidiots."

But there are other historical mysteries out there that have yet to be answered.

Some archaeologists are trying to find the tomb of Alexander the Great (who died in Babylon but, according to some ancient historians, was buried in Egypt).

Others are searching for the remains of the lost army of Cambyses - 50,000 soldiers dispatched on a mission by the Persian Emperor to attack the Oracle of Amon (today's Siwa Oasis in western Egypt) only to disappear during a sandstorm in the Sahara Desert.

There has been plenty of excitement in the past few days over reports that Martinez and her team are about to find the long-lost tomb of Antony and Cleopatra.

Alas, the enthusiasts are going to have to be patient.

The summer residence of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak is just down the road from the site. For security reasons, no one is allowed on the hillside where the excavations are taking place from May through November. So unless Mubarak decides to overrule his security detail, the solving of this mystery will have to be put on hold for at least another five months.

We've waited 2,000 years. I guess we can wait a few more months.

By Ekin Middleton
CNN

NEW YORK (CNN) - A long line of hospital staff wraps around the corridor outside a small conference room in New York to catch a glimpse of the precious cargo.

A worker looks at the mummified skull of King Tut in November 2007.

Inside are the three frail bodies in open wooden crates causing all the commotion. Another body - a prince no less - is a few rooms down in a computer tomography scanner.

The bodies are part of the Brooklyn Museum's collection of 11 Egyptian mummies, transported to the North Shore University Hospital to be scanned. The goal: Find out who they are, how they might have died and establish a chronology of advances in ancient Egypt's mummification techniques.

The process is not necessarily new. Egyptian mummies have been exposed to radiographic study since 1896 and CT scans, which conducts imaging by sections, for more than two decades.

Perhaps the most famous of them, King Tutankhamun (c. 1355-346 B.C.), was scanned in 2005 right outside the vault that holds his sarcophagus. The scan resulted in more than 17,000 images that were analyzed by an international team of radiologists, pathologists and anatomists, led by the world-renowned Zahi Hawass, the secretary general of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities.

The scope and ability of CT scan technology are proving invaluable in learning more about the funeral rituals of ancient Egyptians and the mummies themselves. Whereas conventional X-rays cannot clearly distinguish soft tissue from bone and can see only two planes, CT scanning can differentiate among the various types of bone and soft tissue, and reconstruct three-dimensional images that "show fine detail inside coronary arteries down to 0.6 millimeters" said Amgad Makaryus, director of cardiac CT and magnetic resonance imaging at North Shore, providing a better chance at diagnosis and differentiation among diseases. Read full story

Johanna Fiore, a New York-based photographer, sent us this contribution after attending the Artists in Exile Exhibit in New York City by Iraqi artists living in Syria - see our original blog entry. Send us your feedback on Johanna's entry and let us know if you'll be attending any events.

At a church in New York City on June 20, a gentlemen sat at a large table measuring string to hang paintings. A few pieces were ready for hanging, leaning against the wall.

Artist Najim Chechen posing next to his pastel collage Dancing in the Clouds. Photo: Johanna Fiore

'Tea Drinking' by Amer Bader. Photo: Peter Spano

'The Leaving' by Ahmed Ibrahim Al-Karkhi. Photo: Peter Spano

Photographer, composer and writer Gordon Parks 1912-2006. Photo: Johanna Fiore

My friend and mentor Gordon Parks in a photo I call 'A Great Day in Harlem' Photo: Johanna Fiore.

My first reaction surprised me. It was not an intellectual response; it was purely emotional. My breath was taken away. Here before me, were unbelievable works of art. I had to sit down.

The gentlemen, Mel Lehman, told me how he brought these paintings back from Damascus in a suitcase and met the artists in person. His organization, Common Humanity is committed to raising the awareness of Iraqi refugees and displaced persons within Iraq. He was interested in promoting “a human understanding.” I then knew I wanted to help in any way.

I spent that afternoon with the paintings. As I learned more about the refugee problem-many questions came to my mind. What is a country’s moral responsibility to the people of Iraq? What is my individual responsibility as an American citizen? We invaded their country, their homes were destroyed and many were forced to flee from their country. My immediate thoughts were that, as citizens, we have a moral responsibility to help in any way. I also realized that I had become numb to the images of war. As I learned more about the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and researched the plight of these artists and other refugees, it reinforced my determination to promote the show.

To explain why I was so moved, I need to tell you about Gordon Parks.

I spent the twenty most exciting years of my life working for master photographer, composer, director and writer Gordon Parks. He was my mentor and friend. His photographs taught me the power of images. His camera was his “Choice of Weapons.” Humble and kind, he lived a life free of prejudice and touched the hearts of many. I feel privileged to have been the recipient of his wisdom and time.

All that changed for me when Mr. Parks passed away in March 2006. My world crumbled before me. I lost my job, my grief consumed me, and my passion for life was gone.

I experienced the harsh realities of life. I hit a low I have never known. So, when a friend asked if I would like to see paintings by Iraqi refugees, I was interested.

After seeing the artwork and hearing their stories, my problems seem miniscule in comparison to what these artists face on a daily basis. Yer they are able to express their individual experiences on a canvas despite their horrendous hardships.

The hauntingly beautiful, complex works have a Western influence coupled with such raw emotion that I feel changed as a human being. My energy, creativity, and enthusiasm for life slowly grew as I spent more time with the paintings. What I had lost in March of 2006 was returned to me and for that I am truly grateful.

On opening day, June 20, 2009 many people expressed their appreciation and awe of the works. The exhibition space, the Second Presbyterian Church (6 West 96th Street, New York City), lends itself to the showing. The space represents the power of teamwork and commitment to others. Leslie Merlin, the pastor of the Church, works tirelessly for so many causes. The paintings have already been paid for and any additional funds raised will be donated to the refugees. It has been an inspiration for me to meet so many people who are trying to help others. Artists in Exile: is a true community effort.

Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities, Zahi Hawass takes CNN's Ben Wedeman on a tour of his newest excavation.

Ben Wedeman reports. Click here to watch

CNN's Ben Wedeman goes behind the scenes of the archeological dig for the tomb of Mark Antony and Cleopatra.

Ben Wedeman takes us behind the scenes. Click here to watch

And check out Ben Wedeman's report on the discovery of what archaeologists suspect is the tomb of Mark Anthony and Cleopatra:

Ben Wedeman reports. Click here to watch

By Deb Krajnak

(CNN) — After a group of Israeli farmers sought last year to expand their property in the hills near Jerusalem, an archeological gem was discovered beneath the dirt.

A team led by Daniel Ein Mor barely had to scratch the surface before finding the remains of a Byzantine monastery, he told CNN on Wednesday.

MARINA PASSOS/AFP/Getty Images. An Israeli Antiquities Authority worker cleans on March 12, 2009 the mosaic floor of a Byzantine Church from the sixth-seventh century AD unearthed in Nes Harim village, around 20km west of Jerusalem.

MENAHEM KAHANA/AFP/Getty Images. Israeli Antiquities Authority workers preserve the mosaic floor of a Byzantine Church from the sixth-seventh century AD unearthed in Nes Harim village, around 20km west of Jerusalem on March 12, 2009. The mosaic floor includes an ancient Greek dedication.

“The excavation at Nes-Harim supplements our knowledge about the nature of the Christian-Byzantine settlement in the rural areas between the main cities in this part of the country during the Byzantine period,” including Jerusalem, Mor said.

David Silverman/Getty Images. Israeli archaeologists clean a mosaic in the ruins of a church that dates back to the Byzantine period. The mosaic is decorated with intertwined patterns of different size concentric circles which form crucifixes between them, and includes a dedicatory inscription written in ancient Greek.

The church is believed to have been built in the late fifth or sixth century, and is decorated with “breathtakingly beautiful mosaics,” according to a description from the Israel Antiquities Authority, which hired Mor.

David Silverman/Getty Images