Yes, you read that correctly. Apparently, a group of hackers forced the owners of Egyptological, an online publication dedicated to Egyptology, to take the site down after it came under sustained attack. Although no details have been confirmed, it’s been speculated that the hackers view Egyptology-related sites as “a form of political threat.”
This is one of those times where I feel like I’ve stumbled into Bizarro World. How on earth is an Egyptological journal a political threat? It discussed people and events that have been dead and done for millennia, for crying out loud! It’s hardly a hotbed of sedition.
What makes this doubly sad is that Egyptological was a neat project. It offered both a journal of original academic research and a magazine aimed at the general public. The best part is that both were available to everyone, free of charge. It was a great example of how the web can help spread academic knowledge beyond the confines of the ivory tower.
Fortunately, the people behind Egyptological haven’t thrown in the towel. They’ve rebuilt the site with a new web host, and most of their back issues are available once more. Even better, they’re planning to come out with a new issue in the coming weeks. Let’s hope their troubles are finally at an end.
Codex Lochianus 