Prominent Egyptian archaeologist Dr. Zahi Hawass is defending his legacy -- and that of an entire civilization -- after a tense appearance on The Joe Rogan Experience that aired May 14. The two-hour podcast, which has drawn more than a million YouTube views, turned contentious as Rogan repeatedly questioned whether ancient Egyptians actually built the pyramids.
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Hawass, cigar in hand and firm in tone, wasn't having it.
"I was direct and firm," Hawass told Newsweek during his U.S. lecture tour. "What matters to me is defending Egyptian civilization."
Rogan, Hawass Clash
Rogan later described the podcast as "maybe the worst I've ever done," citing what he called Hawass' closed-mindedness.
"This is this closed-minded fellow that's been in charge of gatekeeping all of the knowledge," Rogan said in a follow-up episode with NFL quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
But Hawass insists the real issue is Rogan's promotion of fringe theories that challenge well-established history.
"The man clearly has an agenda aimed at denying that Egyptians built the pyramids," Hawass said. "At the very least, that's nonsense. I didn't let him push that narrative. I responded with all the evidence."
When Rogan asked how the pyramids were constructed 5,000 years ago, Hawass responded bluntly: "I found it; I wrote it."
Egypt's Indiana Jones
A former minister of antiquities and best-selling author, Hawass has spent over 50 years working in and around the pyramids. He's earned the nickname "Egypt's Indiana Jones" and remains a towering figure in the field of Egyptology.
But he's also polarizing.
Some Egyptians accuse Hawass of monopolizing the field and self-promotion. His tone on Rogan's podcast drew criticism from Egyptian viewers who felt he was too dismissive and confrontational. Still, supporters point to his vast body of archaeological work, including uncovering evidence of workers' villages and tombs near the pyramids -- proof, he says, that the ancient Egyptians built them.
"People said Egyptians couldn't have moved the stones. I showed how they quarried and transported them," he said, recalling a previous appearance with late radio host Art Bell.
Rogan's Skepticism, and Slipups
Despite praising Egypt's ancient wonders, Rogan made several eyebrow-raising remarks during the episode, including mistakenly asking whether papyrus was made from animal skin. Hawass corrected him, pointing out that papyrus was made from the plant of the same name, a staple in ancient Egyptian writing.
In a later episode, Rogan again questioned conventional theories and mocked Hawass, joking: "He's discovered everything, basically. He's the best."
Hawass also dismissed recent Italian research suggesting massive vertical shafts beneath the Khafre pyramid, citing a lack of archaeological evidence.
"What matters to me is defending Egyptian civilization," he said. "That's what I've always done. And I'll keep doing it, no matter what Joe Rogan thinks."
