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On December 17, 2011, I witnessed on TV, as millions of people did,
flames engulfing an important archaeological building, which I know very
well. It was surrounded by boys throwing stones and Molotovs (petrol
bombs) at it. I heard a reporter saying, “The Egyptian Scientific
Complex is burning.” I was overwhelmed with mixed emotions
(astonishment, surprise, fear, sadness and bewilderment), all flooding
the heart at the same time.
• Astonishment that the building was burning and no one was trying to extinguish the fire… how and why?
• Surprise that this scientific building was targeted in particular.
• Fear about retrieving the scientific treasures, which were being gutted.
• Sadness about the loss of these scientific valuables, while they were burning on TV.
•
Bewilderment, as I couldn’t talk to the officials of this complex,
which made me contact a talk show (Al Asherah Masa’an), at 10 o’clock in
the evening, on Dream channel.
I could not wipe away the
sorrow, so I attempted to assure all who had felt what I felt to
announce my readiness to rebuild the Scientific Complex at my own
expense. I will provide the original books and manuscripts, as most of
them are in my private library. This dedication is not grace, but a
gesture of thankfulness we owe to Egypt.
The complex is etched
in my memory, as I was its member a long time ago. I know its contents
and possessions, which are unknown even to the people nearest to this
complex. It is counted as one of the oldest and most important
scientific institutions not just in Egypt, but also in the entire Arab
World.
The Egyptian Scientific Complex is located at the
intersection of Kasr Al-Ainy with Sheikh Rehan St near Al Tahrir Square,
Cairo. It is the first scientific academy in Egypt founded by Napoléon
Bonaparte during the French Campaign in Egypt. The
first time the complex assembled was on August 24, 1798, chaired by
Gaspar Monge. This building preserved 200,000 books, most of whom are
very rare, relating to the history and geography of Egypt. It also had
administrative documents that date back to the French presence in Egypt,
in addition to posters and various scientific English and Dutch books.
One
of the rare books preserved in the complex was the original edition of
“Egypt’s Description,” of which 1,000 copies were made. Bonaparte took a
decision on November 22, 1799, to assemble all works of the scientists,
who took part in the French Campaign, in one book titled “Egypt’s
Description.” These scientists were spread out in different branches
like the French Scientific Complex, including Mathematics, Physics,
Natural History, Political Economy and Literature and Arts.
The
complex was a beehive of activity between 1798-1801, which could be due
to its members, a majority of whom were luminaries in the scientific and
art fields.
There were 11 members in the
Mathematics section: Napoléon Bonaparte, Louis Costaz, Joseph Fourier,
Etienne Louis Malus, Gaspar Monge, Antoine Francois Andreossy, Michel
Ange Lancret, Nicolas-Antoine Nouet, Francois Marie Quenot,
Jacques-Marie Le Pere and Charles Dugat.
Other 11 members in
the Physics and the Natural History Section were: Claude Lois
Berthollet, Rene Nicolas Dufriche Desgenettes, Deodat Gratet de Dolmieu,
Etienne Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, Adrien Raffeneau Delile, Jules-Cesar
Savigny, Hippolyte_Victor_Collet_Descotils, Antoine Dubois, Pierre
Joseph de Beauchamp, Denis Samuel Bernard and Jacques-Pierre Champy. There
were six members in the Political Economy, including Louis Marie
Maximili en Caffarelli du Falga, Jean Lambert Tallien and
Louis-Alexandre de Corancez. Meanwhile, there were 9 in the Art and
Literature section: Vivant Denon, Jean-Baptiste Lepere, Henri-Joseph
Redoute, Charles Norry, Jean-Constantin Protain, Louis Ripault, Andre
Dutertre, Jean-Michel de Venture de Paradis and Michel Rigo.
The
operations of the complex ceased after the French Campaign left Egypt
to return again in 1836 under the title of “The Egyptian Assembly”
thanks to French, English and German scientists. Then it was moved to
Alexandria in 1859, where its named changed to “The Egyptian Scientific
Complex”.
It was working under the patronage of Saeed Basha,
Deputy Sultan, where there were a big number of scientists including the
German botanist George Auguste Schweinfurth, Auguste Mariette and
Gaston Maspero. In 1880 the complex was returned to Cairo and in 1918 it
was put by a sultanate decree under the care of the Sultanate Palace.
As
per the internal law of the complex, the number of members consisted of
50 scientists living in Cairo. It also appointed honorary members of up
to 100 and unlimited numbers of foreign reporters.
Those who
burnt the Egyptian Scientific Complex indeed do not recognise how big a
sin was committed in the memory and history of the homeland.
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