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The news of the day, of the week, month, year and century, has been published this week: ¡They have found the tomb of Cleopatra! Later in the text you can read the real news, but first, a brief reflection.
This is how we find it in media such as "El Confidencial", "El Español", or even "Bolsamanía". Yes! Even Bolsamanía, a website specializing in ... in ... Well, even they have published it ...
Is it real news? The answer is no.
The truth: you have no idea if she's buried there. And it's not even clear if this is the site to dig! They only suppose.
What is intended? Simple, the “easy click”. The famous "clickbait", a little cyber, which allows increase visits, and hence, increase ad revenue, at the cost of publishing an untrue title.
And the results are obvious, at least in the huge impact they have on social networks, which, from experience, gives us the idea of the thousands of visits that they get just by putting an unrealistic title.
We have gotten tired of this. And (I say this personally) the same happens with many people, experts, disseminators, blogs and media in the sector.
In our case, as in that of many other blogs and media dedicated to archeology, history and culture in general, we have hundreds of news published to which we change the title (and the text) even from different studies that are more categorical than they should, in order to offer you the most accurate information possible, because unfounded claims, there are many.
This allows us to offer you reliable and real news, but in return it prevents us from obtaining the same results as others. It's simple, it is not the same to pose the reader a hypothesis ("Archaeologists believe ...") that an affirmation ("Find").
And it is logical. ¿Who does not enter a news like this?
This puts us in a very difficult situation because our reach, although it increases every day, does not reach the numbers of the mainstream media, so it is almost impossible for us to counter a type of news with dubious titles (when do not "fake news«), Despite the fact that within the text it is suggested that such a statement is not true.
This would be the real news, as we would have published it, had it not been for the previous opinion.
Archaeologist Zahi Hawass thinks he knows where Cleopatra's tomb could be
In a presentation in Palermo (Italy) last Saturday, Zahi Hawass, the famous Egyptologist, commented that "At last we are going to unearth the lost tomb of Cleopatra and Marco Antonio", revealing the exact place where he and his team believe found his grave.
He explains that “We have already determined the burial place and we estimate that it is located in Taposiris Magna, 50 kilometers from Alexandria ”.
Add "We are so close to discovering the exact location… we are on the right track”.
That is the news and that would be its real title because it's just a hypothesis until now, as the exact place of the excavation is unknown and if there really will be the tomb of Cleopatra.
Theoretically, it is in a temple flooded by the water of the lake that is in the vicinity of the temple, so it must be removed before excavations can be carried out.
We spoke (and interviewed) Hawass a few years ago and we asked him precisely about Cleopatra's tomb, stating that it would be very difficult to find it. Which he assumed was in Alexandria, but had no information about the place.
Kathleen Martinez, a Dominican archaeologist who has carried out excavations in Taposiris since 2005, is the one who always believed that Cleopatra is in that place (Hawass did not think so, although he has valued Martínez's efforts and findings), doing work even paid for out of his own pocket for chasing the clues that lead her to think that.
However, the famed archaeologist now affirms something categorically when in reality, his words only give off doubts and beliefs about it. We extract three phrases published in all the media so that you can see it more clearly:
"At last we are going to unearth the lost tomb of Cleopatra and Mark Antony."
"We have already determined the burial site and estimate that it is in Taposiris Magna, 50 kilometers from Alexandria."
"We are so close to discovering the exact location ... we are on the right track."
At last they are going to unearth her since they have found the burial place, even though they still don't know the exact location. It must be that we miss that they are on the road ...
Nobody else is struck by the great incongruity in three sentences?
And don't get it wrong, I wish it were true news, and that where they think it is, they find it! But the claim should be left for the time when the discovery becomes effective, and not before, when you are still trying to see how the excavation can be done.
In any case, Hawass's words are not the problem, the press is, and not because of echoing his words, since everyone could publish the news of the archaeologist's last presentation, but for claiming a discovery that has not yet been made, publishing it consciously knowing the benefits that this practice will bring them.
We thought about throwing different questions into the air, but does it make sense to do so? Is it worth anything to ask where journalistic ethics have been? Respect for the reader? The vocation to discover and show the truth?
But above all,how we do to compete with them and how we can combat these practices?
We are clear that we will continue on the path that has led us here, to try to give you the information in the most honest and truthful way possible, which has made us worthy of your trust. Equally, suggestions are welcome.
After studying History at the University and after many previous tests, Red Historia was born, a project that emerged as a means of dissemination where you can find the most important news of archeology, history and humanities, as well as articles of interest, curiosities and much more. In short, a meeting point for everyone where they can share information and continue learning.
