Hawass under fire over fashion advert and Tutankamun's chair

Minister of Egyptian antiquities Zahi Hawass has been accused of using ancient artifacts as props in a photographic shoot to promote a clothing line bearing his name. See Ahram Online.

Several newspapers and magazines have claimed that a model wearing the clothes used the Tutankhamun’s chair and bench in the photo shoot.

If this happened it would cause an uproar in the professional archaeology community.

Hawass has said that the promotion campaign photo shoot adhered to all safety measure requirements and was shot on 7 October, 2010 in New York at the King Tutankhamun exhibition. Hawass added that he and the clothing manufacturer agreed to send the profit to the Children Cancer Hospital in Cairo.

For picture of advert: Al-Masry Al-Youm: Activists decry Zahi Hawass' use of artifacts to promote menswear line

The Washington Post: Egypt archaeologist Zahi Hawass faces criticisms about his job, ties to Mubarak

The New York Times: Using History to Sell Clothes? Don’t Try It With the Pharaohs

eTurboNews: Hawass: Cairo Museum will not promote US clothing line