View
216
Download
0
Category
Tags:
Preview:
DESCRIPTION
its a new cultural view about a new Egypt , its for foreigners who still don't know about Egypt ,and for those who will choose Egypt as there vocational destination , such as streets, resorts, restaurants , historical places , land marks news , movies , and characters . all of that it so important for other who existing to know about Egypt in a new form .
Citation preview
Issue #2 March 2011 Let’s Discover New Egypt
EGYPT
AKHENATEN
Khufu's Inside Story
Horus The Egyptian Falcon God
Hurghada
ABU SIMBEL
EGYPTIAN FOOD
EGYPT NILE CRUISES
COBRA SNAKE
History of Giza Civilization of Ancient
Egyptians
Daily Life In Ancient
Egypt
Land of the Pharaohs
Chairperson
Islam Salh
Editor-in-Chief
Marwa Saad
Sales Manager
Karim Salh
Art Designer
Osama Moharem
Translation Dina Mohamed
Nada Zaki
Editor Staff
Sandy Khalil Nehal Sabaa Sarah rabea
Rehab yousry
Printing
EGYPT Land of the Pharaohs
Ancient Egypt is one of the most
fascinating of the ancient civilizations. Even today, the manner in which modern Egypt has melded with the ancient world is positively astounding. One cannot help but notice that the pull of the ancient world is still very much a part of modern cities such as Cairo and Alexandria.
WebSite : www.egyptlandofthepharaohs.yolasite.com E-mail : Egyptlandofthepharaohs@gmail.com FaceBook : facebook.com/pages/egyptlandofthepharaohs
Dearest Readers
Travel back in time to a place that has
left its imprint and impact on
humanity forever. Discover the ancient
metaphysical civilization of Egypt
whose dvanced knowing and
technologies continue to baffle our
conservative scientific community
today.
A visit to this awe-inspiring destination
is to journey into immortality. At no
other period of
known history has a civilization left
behind so many clues and riddles that
could answer mankind's deepest
searching of
today.
Seven thousands years ago, the ancient
Egyptians waged a war against time
and mortality. Today, humanity can
look at this awesome and ancient
civilization
and proudly declare victory.
Love you all,
Islam Salh
Civilization of Ancient Egyptians 06
History of Giza 08
Daily Life In Ancient Egypt 10
Horus The Egyptian Falcon God 14
Khufu's Inside Story 18 COBRA SNAKE 19
THE MOSQUE OF AMR IBN EL-
AAS 20
THE CHURCH OF SAINTS
SERGIUS 22
BACCHIAS IN FAYOUM 24
ABU SIMBEL 26
EGYPT NILE CRUISES 32
Hurghada 34 EGYPTIAN FOOD 36
EGYPTIAN MOVIES 38
Many individuals share thoughts and ideas about the civilization of ancient
Egyptians. The civilizations of ancient Egyptians are unique and interesting to say
the least. Who doesn’t enjoy sitting down to read some good information about
the civilization of ancient Egyptians? It seems that humankind today has learned a
lot from the civilization of ancient Egyptians.
Ancient Egypt was a civilization that was made along the lower part of the Nile
River in the north. The ancient Egyptian civilization lasted for nearly three
millennia and ended upon the conquest of Alexander the Great. Women, men and
children played a vital role in the civilization of ancient Egypt. In addition, a big
part of the civilization was water. Dark soil was deposited by the flood of the Nile
River and that is why Egypt was known as “the black land.”
Civilization of Ancient
Egyptians
There have been recent studies that show
the Egyptians are related to the North
African regions. The kings of the ancient
Egyptian times were called Pharaoh’s. The
pharaoh’s reigns went between 3000 BC
and 30 BC. For a number of different
reasons, the Egyptian government
imposed taxes on the people in Egypt.
During the ancient Egyptian period, there
was no type of currency; therefore, taxes
were paid by work. The type of work that
would be done all depended on the
person. Every individual that lived in
Egypt was expected to pay the tax by
doing work for the public for at least a
couple of weeks out of the year. Some of
the work that was done involved mining
and digging canals. A rich noble was able
to hire a not so wealthy individual to do
their tax.
During the ancient Egyptian times, there was the ever so famous hieroglyphic,
which was a writing system. Hieroglyphics are known for being the earliest writing
system in the world. Until the introduction of Christianity, the Egyptian magicians
and the Egyptian priests used spells and magic. In ancient Egypt, there have been a
few changes that have been noticeable. For instance, 2580 BC was the Great
Pyramid of Giza. Ancient Egypt is one of those times where you would just have to
be there in order to fully grasp and understand the knowledge. No one living today
is able to describe fully the civilization of ancient Egypt as it truly was. All we are
able to do is go by the records that were left behind by the Egyptians and make our
own comprehension out of them.
History of
Giza
Standing at the base of the Great Pyramid, it is hard to imagine that this monument—which
remained the tallest building in the world until early in this century—was built in just under 30
years. It presides over the plateau of Giza, on the outskirts of Cairo, and is the last survivor of the
Seven Wonders of the World. Five thousand years ago Giza, situated on the Nile's west bank,
became the royal necropolis, or burial place, for Memphis, the pharaoh's capital city. Giza's three
pyramids and the Sphinx were constructed in the fourth dynasty of Egypt's Old Kingdom, arguably
the first great civilization on earth. Today, Giza is a suburb of rapidly growing Cairo, the largest
city in Africa and the fifth largest in the world.
bout 2,550 B.C., King Khufu, the second pharaoh of the fourth dynasty, commissioned the building
of his tomb at Giza. Some Egyptologists believe it took 10 years just to build the ramp that leads
from the Nile valley floor to the pyramid, and 20 years to construct the pyramid itself. On average,
the over two million blocks of stone used to build Khufu's pyramid weigh 2.5 tons, and the heaviest
blocks, used as the ceiling of Khufu's burial chamber, weigh in at an estimated nine tons.
How did the ancient Egyptians move the massive stones used to build the pyramids from quarries
both nearby and as far away as 500 miles? This question has long been debated, but many
Egyptologists agree the stones were hauled up ramps using ropes of papyrus twine.
The popular belief is that the gradually sloping ramps, built out of mud, stone, and wood were used
as transportation causeways for moving the large stones to their positions up and around the four
sides of the pyramids
Ancient Egypt Houses
Daily Life In
Ancient Egypt
In a very short amount of time, usually just a few years, an ancient Egyptian house constructed of
mud brick would begin to deteriorate and crumble. Ancient muddy houses in Egypt were
primarily constructed and lived in by the commoners on the lowest social strata in Egypt, who
could afford little else.
For the most part ancient Egypt
houses were constructed using
materials that were handy and
plentiful. This meant that the design
of houses in ancient Egypt varied
little, even among the wealthy. This
makes it very easy to imagine what
Egyptian houses look like.
Wood was extremely scarce, almost
non-existent in ancient Egypt. The
two construction materials that the
ancient land of Egypt seemed
capable of producing in multitude
was sand and papyrus reeds; with
some stone quarries.
Therefore, for the most part, the
majority of ancient Egyptian
houses were constructed of mud
brick. Ancient muddy houses in
Egypt were made by first mixing a
compound of mud and straw. The
mixture could then be formed into
bricks that were allowed to bake and
dry under the hot Egyptian sun.
While the mud might be plentiful, it
was not particularly sturdy.
In Egypt ancient houses constructed by the wealthy nobles
were much different than those built by commoners. Those
who could afford to do so built their ancient Egypt house of
stone taken from stone quarries. Ancient Egypt houses
constructed of stone were much sturdier and solidly built.
The wealthy could afford to fill their homes with far more
luxuries than poorer families. In Egypt ancient houses built
by wealthy families, were likely to contain tiled floors and
beautifully painted walls.
While ancient Egypt houses built by commoners and nobles
might have differed in many respects, in many others, they
were quite similar in order to survive the burning heat of the
Egyptian climate as comfortably as possible. Almost all
ancient Egypt houses were constructed with a flat roof. Not
only did this most likely make the construction process
simpler, but the flat roofs also offered a welcome respite
from the burning Egyptian sun.
Families often lounged, ate and slept on the roofs of ancient
Egypt houses.
Another similarity in a typical ancient Egyptian home and
houses was the presence of a hearth.
Even in wealthy ancient Egypt houses, there was a need for
a hearth in order to prepare food. Due to the arid climate of
the Egyptian nation, it is not likely the hearth of a house of
ancient Egypt, although quite common, would have been
needed for heating.
The abundance of furniture was not common in most ancient
Egyptian houses, due to the lack of wood. The most common
furnishings were three legged stools and chests; even in
wealthier Egyptian homes.
History of Cleopatra
Queen Cleopatra of Egypt is the most well known
of all the ancient Egyptian queens. Cleopatra was
born in Alexandria in 69 B.C. during the reign of
the Ptolemy family to Ptolemy XII. Cleopatra
appears to have been a popular name in the family,
as her mother bore the name as well as an older
sister, making the new daughter Cleopatra the
Seventh, although she is rarely referred to as such.
Cleopatra and her family were not Egyptian, but
rather Macedonian, descended through a general of
Alexander the Great. Cleopatra would become the
first ruler of her family who could actually speak
the Egyptian language.
In keeping with ancient Egyptian tradition, Queen
Cleopatra of Egypt married her then 12 year old
brother. The marriage was not truly legitimate,
however and considering the young age of her new
husband and co-inheritor of the throne, Cleopatra
rule Egypt independently and as she wished. This
lasted for only three short years before Cleopatra
received the same fate as her father and was exiled,
along with another younger sister. Her 15 year old
brother and husband remained to rule Egypt.
Cleopatra escaped to Syria, however she did not
intend to give up without a fight.
The events that soon followed are quite legendary.
Cleopatra's brother, Ptolemy, became involved
with a bitter war between Julius Caesar, and a
former friend, Pompey. Ptolemy took sides with
Caesar and had Pompey killed, hoping to curry
favor with the Roman leader. The plan backfired
on him. Julius Caesar was so enraged by the
murder of Pompey; he immediately took control
of the Egyptian palace and ordered Queen
Cleopatra of Egypt and Ptolemy to present
themselves to him.
The history of Cleopatra is one that has been
the subject of novels and movies and is filled
with deception, intrigue and romance. The
historical biography of Cleopatra suggests she
obtained the throne of Egypt through some
rather violent means. When her father was
briefly exiled following a rebellion, an older
sister took the throne. Following their father's
return and reclaim of the throne, the sister was
put to death. The second of the three women in
the family to carry the same name, Cleopatra VI,
died around the same time as well; although the
cause remains a mystery. This left Cleopatra the
Seventh as the oldest child in her family, with a
brother who was several years younger. About
four years later, their father died and Cleopatra
took control of the throne. She was only about
17 years old at the time.
Queen
Cleopatra
Queen Cleopatra had been encamped just on the other side of the Egyptian and Syrian border. When she received the
news that she was to enter Egypt and report to Caesar, she astutely realized she would be easy prey for supporters of her
brother's regime. In a scene that has been replayed in countless movies, Cleopatra allowed herself to be smuggled into
Egypt in a rug. The affair between Queen Cleopatra of Egypt and Caesar is thought to have begun when she was
presented to him, wrapped in the rug. For more than 3 years the couple enjoyed a scandalous affair and Cleopatra gave
birth to a son. Following the birth of the child, she joined Julius Caesar in Rome, but quickly departed when he was killed,
fearing for her own life.
Absolute chaos ensued in the Roman Empire following the assassination. One of the three men poised to take the throne of
Rome, Mark Anthony ordered Cleopatra back to Rome for questioning. Once again displaying her political savvy and
intelligence, Queen Cleopatra of Egypt made plans to seduce Mark Anthony. She donned the garb of Venus, the Goddess
of Love and was completely successful in her attempt to seduce her would be inquisitor. Of all the costumes Egyptian
Cleopatra has been portrayed in, this is the most famous. The full costume of Cleopatra, dressed as Venus, is vividly
remembered when Elizabeth Taylor wore a reproduction in her famous portrayal of the queen. The film was so successful
in memorializing the queen and her seductive costume, that historical Cleopatra costumes have remained popular ever
since.
Horus the Egyptian falcon god is often associated with the "Eye of Horus'; a symbol that is
prominent throughout Egypt even until modern times. This symbol was found on the
mummy on King Tutankhamen.
Perhaps the most well known version of the Horus mythology involves the birth of Horus
following the death of his father. In this tale, Horus' parents are Osiris and Isis. Osiris was
slain by his adversary and brother, Seth, prior to the birth of Horus. Later he was believed
to have avenged the death of his father. The war that ensued as a result of Horus' attempts
to avenge his father lasted for eighty years, with mutual casualties occurring between the
two ancient Egyptian gods. In one scenario, Seth even tore an eye from Horus. It is believed
that this incident led to Horus' association with his one eyed symbol.
Other versions and variants of Horus the Egyptian falcon god continues to be prevalent
throughout Egypt, depending on the point in history and the location. Harmakhet is one
of these many variations and is represented by a sphinx. Harpokrates is the version of
Horus that is commonly associated with the deity that avenged the death of his
father Osiris, at the hands of Seth. Like many other ancient Egyptian gods, Horus also
became combined with the deity Ra. This version is known as Ra-Harakhte.
Unlike most Egyptian gods goddesses who were worshipped at specific cult centers in Egypt,
Horus seems to have enjoyed immense popularity throughout the Egyptian nation.
Throughout the history of the Egyptian nation there are many references in mythology to
several different Egyptian gods known as Horus; not just Horus the Egyptian falcon god.
The first of these ancient Egyptian gods known as Horus appears in the early days of the
Egyptian kingdom. It is believed that the first Horus, sometimes referred to as Horus the
Elder, was a falcon god and creator god.
Horus The Egyptian Falcon God
The World of the ancient Egyptian Gods
In the earliest stories regarding this deity, he was thought to be the son of Ra and that the
eyes of the first Horus were the sun and the moon. In later stories, references to a Horus
Egyptian falcon god indicate he was the son of Geb and Nut. The most popular version
regarding one of the many Horus deities states he was in fact the son of Osiris.
Horus as Many Egyptian Gods
Horus may have been known in many forms, but he was always associated with the same
symbol; that of the falcon. In almost all variations, Horus was known as the patron saint of
the existing pharaoh. In fact, the pharaoh was often referred to as the 'Living Horus'.
Egyptian Symbols the wordNot all symbols represented single letters; some pictures represented words. The symbols that make up the alphabet in Egyptian hieroglyphics are sub-divided into categories including phonograms and ideograms. Ideograms were used to write the words they represented. An example of an ideogram would be a picture of a woman that actually looked like a woman and represented the word 'woman'. Phonograms were used to spell out the sound out the words they represented and they usually had no relation to the word they were sounding out. As a result, symbols could be both ideograms and phonograms and the reader would need to determine the context of the 'sentence' in order to find out which word was intended. To indicate whether a symbol represented a complete word or merely a sound scribes would place a straight line after .
Khufu's Inside Story
Dates Built:
c. 2589-2566 B.C.
Total Blocks of Stone:
over 2,300,000
Base: 13 square acres, 568,500 square feet, or 7 city blocks. The length of each
side of the base was originally 754 feet (230 m), but is now 745 feet (227 m) due
to the loss of the outer casing stones.
Total Weight: 6.5 million tons
Average Weight of Individual Blocks of Stone:
2.5 tons, the large blocks used for the ceiling of the King's Chamber weigh as much
as 9 tons.
Height:
Originally 481 feet (146.5 m) tall, but now only 449 feet (137 m).
Angle of Incline:
51 degrees 50' 35“
Construction Material:
limestone, granite
WARNING upon entering Khufu:
The 1908 edition of Baedeker's Egypt warns "Travelers who are in the slightest
degree predisposed to apoplectic or fainting fits, and ladies travelling alone, should
not attempt to penetrate into these stifling recesses.”
King Khufu, who is also known
by the Greek name Cheops, was
the father of pyramid building at
Giza. He ruled from 2589 - 2566
B.C. and was the son of King
Sneferu and Queen Hetpeheres.
The Cobra is the most feared of all poisonous snakes. Cobra De Capello is
Portuguese for ‘Hooded Snake'. At an average length of six feet, with a brownish skin, glaring eyes, darting tongue, hissing breath and spoon shaped hood, it rates as one of the most dangerous snakes in the world.
It is a silent, stealthy hunter feeding on insects, lizards, frogs and small mammals, such as rats and mice. The Cobra snake favours warm, dry regions where water is readily available. As the cobra grows it sheds it skin.
The cobra's venom glands are essentially modified salivary glands, through which the cobra injects its victim. Even given its dangerous properties the Cobra still remains the favourite of snake charmers. Death from cobra snakebite is one of the oldest fates of mankind. In ancient Egypt every ‘healer’ was required to know the repertoire of spells for conjuring the poison of every serpent.
Pharaoh would often wear a representation of the wide hooded Cobra on his crown as an emblem of royalty. From this position the cobra was said to be able to defend the king.
In the ‘Book of the Dead’ the Cobra snake is seen as the symbol of Earth. Whilst the Ouroborus sign (below) shows a snake swallowing its own tail bringing together both circle and serpent, which represents the round of existence.
COBRA SNAKE
THE MOSQUE
OF AMR IBN
EL-AAS
The mosque was originally built on an area
of 1,500 square cubits, overlooking the Nile.
The initial structure was quite simple; with
walls bare of any plaster or decorations, but
without niche (miharb), minaret or ground
cover. It had two doors on the north and two
others facing Amr's house.
The mosque area remained unchanged until
672 AD (53 AH), when Musallama al-
Ansari, Egypt's ruler on behalf of Caliph
Mu'awiya Ibn abi-Sufian undertook
expansion and renovation works for the
mosque. Walls and ceilings were decorated
and four compartments for "muezzins" (callers
for prayers) were added at the corners,
together with a minaret, while the mosque
ground was covered with straw mats.
This is the first and oldest mosque ever built
on the land of Egypt. Erected in 642 AD (21
AH) by Amr Ibn al'As, the commander of the
Muslim army that conquered Egypt, the
mosque is also known as Taj al-Jawamie
(Crown of Mosques, al-Jamie'al-Ateeq (the
Ancient Mosque) and Masjid Ahl ar-Rayah
(Mosque of Banner Holders).
The mosque is said to have been built on the
site of Amr Ibn el-As's tent at Fustat, is the
oldest existing mosque, not just in Cairo, but
the entire African Continent. Located north
of the Roman Fortress of Babylon, it is
actually on the edge of Fustat, the temporary
city founded by Amr, and was an Islamic
learning center long before El-Azhar
Mosque. It could hold up to 5,000 students.
The last structural amendments in Amr
Mosque were made during the rule of Murad
Bey under the ottoman era, in 1797 AD (1212
AD). Because of the collapse of some columns,
the interior of the mosque was demolished and
rebuilt. As a result, eastern arcades were
repositioned so as to be perpendicular to the
miharb wall. Accordingly, arches were
extended across windows. Two minarets were
built and are still extant.
Amr Mosque was not merely a place of
worship but also served as a court for settling
religious and civil disputes. Moreover,
teaching circles were organized either for
general religious preaching or teaching
lessons in Quran sciences, jurisprudence and
Prophet Muhammad's Tradition (Hadith) as
well as letters.
The mosque incorporates elements of Greek
and Roman buildings, and has 150 white
marble columns and three minarets. Simple in
design, its present plan consists of an open sahn
(court) surrounded by four riwaqs, the largest
being the Qiblah riwaq. There are a number of
wooden plaques bearing Byzantine carvings of
leaves, and a partially enclosed column is
believed to have been miraculously
transported from Mecca on the orders of
Mohammed himself. There are many other
ancient legions related to the Mosque.
In 698 AD (79 AH), the mosque was
demolished and expanded by Abdul-Aziz Ibn
Marwan, Egypt's ruler. Once again in 711 AD
(93 AH), the mosque was demolished by
Prince Quran Ibn Shuraik al-Absi, Egypt's
ruler. Upon the orders of Caliph al-Waleed
Ibn Abdul-Malek, the mosque area was
enlarged, a niche, a wooden pulpit (minbar)
and a compartment and copings of four
cloumns facing the niche were gold-coated.
The mosque had then four doors to the east,
four to the west and three to the north.
Under the Abbasid state, successive additions
and repairs were introduced. In 827 AD (212
AH), Abdullah Ibn Taher, Egypt's ruler on
behalf of Caliph al-Ma'moun ordered an
equivalent area to the north to be added to the
mosque, thus bringing its total area to its
present level of 13,556,25 square metres.
(112.3m x 120.5m). However, the Fatimid
period was the gold era for the mosque, where
gilted mosaics, marble works, a wooden
compartment and a moving pulpit were
introduced and part of the niche was silver-
coated.
THE CHURCH OF
SAINTS SERGIUS
The Church of Saints Sergius and Bacchus
(Abu Serga) is a 4th century church and
today is considered to be the oldest
of Cairo's Christian churches. It is
dedicated to two early martyrs and
traditionally believed to have been built on
the spot where the Holy Family, Joseph,
Mary and the infant Christ, rested at the
end of their journey into Egypt. They may
have lived here while Joseph worked at the
fortress.
Hence, the church is of significant historical
importance, and in fact, it is where many
patriarchs of the Coptic Church were elected.
The first to be elected here was Patriarch
Isaac (681-692) It is the episcopal church of
Cairo, and it was the episcopal See of Misr
(the district of Old Cairo) that replaced the
former See of Babylon. Many bishops of the
See were consecrated in the Church until the
reign of Patriarch Christodulus (1047-
1077). The church is dedicated to Sergius
and Bacchus, who were soldier-saints that
were martyred during the 4th century in
Syria by the Roman Emperor, Maximilan.
The building was probably constructed
during the 5th century. It was burned during
the fire of Fustat during the reign of Marwan
II around 750. It was then restored during
the 8th century, and has been rebuilt and
restored constantly since medieval times.
However it is still considered to
be a model of the early Coptic
churches and its basilican style
is easily recognizable. This
church resembles religious
structures in Constantinople
and Rome. It has two aisles
with a western return aisle (a
passage at the west end of the
church), along with a tripartite
sanctuary that measures 17 x
27 meters and is 15 meters
high. Within the sanctuary is
an altar surmounted by a
wooden canopy supported by
four pillars. On the east wall of
the sanctuary rises a fine,
semi-circular tribune with
seven steps. There was
probably a khurus, a
transverse room preceding the
sanctuary, in front of the
sanctuary but which no longer
exists.
n much the same style as
the Hanging Church, two rows of
six columns each separate the
aisles from the nave. Eleven of
these unique columns, with faint
painted decorations of probably
apostles or saints, are marble,
while one is of red granite. While
the pulpit was replaced by a copy
of the ambon (a pulpit) in
the church of Saint Barbara, some
of the older wooden pulpit now
reside in the Coptic Museum in
Cairo, while a few others are in
the British Museum. Also, the
oldest wooden altar in Egypt was
found in the church, but it too is
now in the Coptic Museum.
However, the sanctuary
iconostasis, a screen separating
the sanctuary from the rest of the
church on which icons are usually
displayed, is a beautiful work of
art which probably dates to the
12th or 13th century. The several
panels are inlaid with ivory and
ebony, and covered in a
wonderful relief that features
arabesque designs. The apse is
encrusted with strips of marble
and decorated with mosaics. There
are some wooden panels within
the church that are of earlier date,
and depict fine scenes of saints on
horseback, the Nativity and the
Last Supper. There are any
number of other relatively old
icons that date, perhaps, to the
17th century. They show various
scenes depicting the life of Christ,
the Virgin Mary and some of the
saints.
AND BACCHUS
(ABU SERGA)
BACCHIAS IN FAYOUM
The name of the ancient ruins of the Ptolemaic
(Greek era) village of Bacchias (Bakchias) are
located at Kom Umm al-Atl (Kom al-Atel, Umm al-Atel,
Kom el-Asl) in the Fayoum. The name Bacchias is likely
derived from Bakchos, one of the names of Dionysos,
who was particularly venerated by the Ptolemies. The
ancient village is located on the northeastern edge of
the basin, not far from the larger town of Karanis (Kom
Oshim). It is located along one of the Fayoum's most
scenic routes just into the desert, where it was
originally situated by a caravan road from
Memphis to Medinet Fayoum (Arsinoe during the Ptolemaic Period).
He site was visited by Petrie in 1889-90 but it was B.
P. Grenfell and D. G. Hogarth (later joined by A. S.
Hunt), excavating here for seven weeks in 1896,
that identified it with Bacchias on the basis of the
papyri found on the site. Among other things, like
papyri and domestic objects, they found three jars
filled with 4,300 coins. According to Grenfell and
Hogarth, the site had not been much disturbed at
that time "owing to its distance from cultivated
land". In 1993, an Italian Egyptian team from
Bologna and Lecce site began excavating at the
site, and there work appears to be ongoing as of
2005. Although the site was almost destroyed by
looters, many prehistoric tools were found by the
first investigation and new streets and building were unearthed by the second.
Bacchias was probably founded in the third century BC, and
abandoned around the fourth century AD. It contained about 700
homes from which archaeologists estimate the population to
have been around 3,000. The earliest attested settlers were Greek
cavalrymen. The entire archaeological area covers about 340,000
square meters. The site is almost always deserted and one is
usually free to roam at will through the ancient buildings. The
village was dominated by the local temple, with houses on three
sides and an open space on the east. The best part of the town
lies to the north and west of the temple, both on the lower ground
and on the southern face of the high ridge. Bacchias has never
been fully excavated, although the Italian team working here
uncovered the stone structure of the village temple which was, of
course, dedicated to a form of Sobek In fact, according to some
scholars, the Temple was actually dedicated to a pair of
crocodile brothers. They were Soknokonnis and Soknobraisis. Their
names, respectively, mean "Sobek lord of Bacchias" and "Sobek
lord with the terrible mouth". Soknokonnis is attested from
the Ptolemaic Period onward, while Soknobraisis is only found
during the Roman Period.
ABU
SIMBEL
Perhaps after the Giza pyramids, or coincident
with them, the great temple of Abu Simbel
presents the most familiar image of ancient Egypt
to the modern traveler and reader. When the
conservation efforts to preserve the temple from
the soon-to be built High Aswan Dam and its
rising waters were begun in the 1960s, images of
the colossal statues filled newspapers and books.
The temples were dismantled and relocated in
1968 on the desert plateau, 200 feet above and
600 feet west of their original location.
Abu Simbel lies south of Aswan on the western
bank of the Nile, 180 miles south of the First
Cataract in what was Nubia. The site was known
as Meha in ancient times and was first
documented in the 18th Dynasty,
when Ay and Horemheb had rock-cut chapels
hewn in the hills to the south.
Ramesses II, called "the Great," built seven rock-cut
temples in Nubia. The rock-cut temple of Ramesses II on
the west bank of the Nile at Abu Simbel is the greatest of
these. This temple was not seen by Europeans until J.J.
Burckhardt discovered them in 1813.
The temple, called Hwt Ramesses Meryamun, the
"Temple of Ramesses, beloved of Amun," was begun
fairly early in Ramesses’ long reign, commissioned some
time after his fifth regnal year, but not completed until
his 35th regnal year. The massive facade of the main
temple is dominated by the four seated colossal statues
of Ramesses. These familiar representations are of
Ramesses II himself. Each statue, 67 feet high, is seated
on a throne and wears the double crown of Upper and
Lower Egypt. Each is taller than the famed Memnon
Colossus at Thebes, and all are sculpted directly from
the rock face. The thrones are decorated on their sides
with Nile gods symbolically uniting Egypt.
Burckhardt said of the first face on the left that it "was the
most expressive, youthful countenance, approaching
nearer to the Grecian model of beauty than that of any
ancient Egyptian figure I have seen."
An ancient earthquake damaged the statues. One is
demolished from the waist up.
Between the legs and on each of their sides stand smaller
statues of members of the royal family. The smaller statues
of relatives were probably, for the first southern colossus:
Queen Nefretari by the left leg, the king’s mother, the great
wife of Seti I, Muttuya by his right leg, and
Prince Amenhirkhopshef in front. For the second southern
colossus, Princess Bent’anta stood by the left leg, Princess
Nebettawyby the left, and one unnamed female figure,
probably that of a lesser royal wife named Esenofre.
The family statues at the first northern colossus were, Queen
Nefretari, Princess Beketmut and Prince Riameses in front.
For the second northern colossus, there were Princess
Merytamun, Queen Muttuya and Princess Nofretari.
Beneath these giant sculptures are carved figures of
bound captives.
The forecourt or terrace which fronted the temple
contained two tanks for the ablutions of the priests. On the
northern side of this terrace stood a small sun-chapel, and
on the south, stood a chapel of the god Thoth. Above the
entrance, a figure of the falcon-headed sun-god Ra is
shown worshipped by flanking images of Ramesses. The
rebus figure of Ra contains the prenomen of Ramesses II, or
Userma’atre: the falcon headed god Ra has next to his
right leg the glyph showing the head and neck of an
animal, read User, and the goddess at his left leg is ma’at.
At the top of the temple façade is a row of baboon
statues in adoring attitudes, said to welcome the rising sun.
A stela at the southern end of the external terrace is
called "the Marriage Stela," and is a copy of the record of
one of Ramesses II’s diplomatic triumphs, his marriage to a
daughter of the Hittite king Hattusilis III.
Within the temple a series of chambers becomes
increasingly smaller as the floors of the rooms rise
noticeably.
There were many pharaohs that ruled in Ancient Egypt and all tried to leave an eternal legacy. Of the
many mighty pharaohs that ruled only a few have actually accomplished such a goal. Those that have
achieved the status have done so through luck as most the tombs have been destroyed or robbed. This
unfortunate fact has left many holes into Egyptian life and culture—we can only image how a pharaoh and
his people lived their lives.
Amenhotep IV – better
known as Akhenaten was
Egypt’s most Profound
pharaoh to rule Egypt. He led
Egypt in a direction that
would tag him ―The Heretic
Pharaoh.‖ He brought forth
new ideas mainly in religion
and art that would leave a
lasting impression on the
world. Unlike most pharaohs,
Akhenaten presented himself
in a way that would lead to
controversy and would shock
the world and his culture.
We invite you to take an in-
depth look at Akhenaten and
discover for yourself the man
that would lead Ancient
Egypt with much mayhem
during his reign and
thereafter.
To really understand
Akhenaten, you must
go back to Tuthmosis
IV when the city of
Thebes became the
main habitat for
Egypt. Its foremost god
was Aten and was
created during this
time. Aten was the
solitary god set up by
Amenhotep IV
(Akhenaten) to be the
main deity.
Amenhotep IV
eventually changed
his name to
Akhenaten. The new
name took on the
meaning ―He who is
of service to Aten.‖
FAMILY
Akhenaton's parents were Amenhotep III and Queen Tiy. His wife was Nefertiti who was probably a distant
relative. The Couple had six daughters named Ankhesenpaaten, Neferneferuaten-tasharit, Neferneferure,
Meketaten, Merytaten, and Sotepenre. Also present in the family are two unknown members in Akhenaten’s
family. They are Smenkhkare (successor of Akhenaten) and Tutankhaten who was later renamed Tutankhamen.
As a young child Akhenaten was raised in a traditional Ancient Egyptian manner and observed religious
rituals to the god Amon. In Thebes, Amon was the god that was elevated to the highest position. In time,
Akhenaten turned his focus and beliefs to another deity called Aten. (Aten is the sun god and was taken into
battle with Tuthmosis IV and later taken by Akhenaten).
Soon after becoming pharaoh of Egypt, Akhenaten discarded his royal name and loyalty to Amon. He turned
away from old priests and began the cult of the sun disk -- the Aten. Akhenaten acknowledged that Aten was
the single god except Re, the sun god. He claimed he was the only person able to converse with his god. This
only caused an absence of priests and he soon came to ban those that remained. He banned the worship of
Amon and closed down sacred temples.
Akhenaten’s wife’s name Nefertiti was also changed to ―Nefer Nefru Aten‖ meaning ―Beautiful is the Beauty of
Aten.‖ The couple then moved out of Thebes to a new capitol called Akhetaton. Everyone from the old capitol
moved to the new constructed capitol including the court and artisans
Amarna was erected in 1353-1335 B.C. in honor of the
god Aten. (Amarna is the modern name for the city
called Akhetaton) It had more naturalistic styles and the
art portrayed natural scenes and life-like figures. The
couple raised many extraordinary buildings and
conducted sophisticated ceremonies in the temples and
palaces. His new capitol attacked the cults of other
deities in Egypt, especially Amon. Sites of Amon were
desecrated and any evidence of worship to this god
destroyed. Akhenaten even had his father's cartouches
destroyed because it had Amon’s name encrypted upon
it. This continued to outrage the people of Egypt and left
the population uneasy and angry. Most of the cities in
Egypt were deprived of their estates and plantations.
Corruption fell upon the temples and soon they were
dependant on the city of Akhetaton.
THE NEW CAPITOL
The art during the Amarna period had made a colossal change. People were portrayed as they were. Unlike most pharaohs,
Akhenaten portrayed himself less god like and more human. This new style of art was portraying people in everyday lifestyles
and sometimes with minute details. Bek was Akhenaten’s main artist during this period. The disfigured pharaoh showed an
almost strange elongation of the head, large breasts, swollen stomach, and the diminutive splayed legs. He looked more feminine
then masculine.
Not only did Akhenaten show his naturalness but also the surroundings around him. His paintings were detailed and unique in
that they showed naturalism along the Nile River. The scenes of the time period showed the river engulfed with vegetation and
wild animals.
Pharaohs in earlier periods showed themselves as being well proportioned and taller then their subjects. Akhenaten, on the other
hand, was depicted as being at equal level with his surroundings that showed him in inappropriate scenes. Such scenes included
him kissing his daughters and sitting with his wife in a family oriented manner.
ART
During the 12th year of his reign, Queen Tiy joined Akhenaten in his
city. She brought with her a princess named Baketaten (Later
Baketamon). Akhenaten soon provided her with housing and
constructed a temple in honor of her. Nefertiti was no longer a favorite
to Akhenaten and she soon disappears from the time period. Historians
are puzzled as to why and where she left. Her daughter soon took her
place and held the duties her mother once did. His daughter was then
replaced with Ankhesenpaaten. He soon found anther queen who was
named Kiya and might have been from the Mitanni heritage. At
around the eighteenth year of his ruling Akhenaten died. Everything
was destroyed and demolished soon after his death. His mummy has
never been found. Everything was ravished and destroyed upon his
death.
THE END OF AKHENATEN’S REIGN
EGYPT NILE
CRUISES
A first time visitor to Egypt who wants a classical (pharaonic antiquities) experience would do well to book a Nile cruise.
Of course modern airlines shuttle tourists to the southern region of Egypt, but historically the Nile cruise was really the
only way to visit the temples and tombs located along this stretch of the river. It is still a popular means of visiting upper
Egypt and has many advantages to other means of travel.
First of all, it is very nice to unpack and once and have
your hotel travel with you, rather then the hectic routine
that accompanies the stop and go itineraries of air and
land tours. But besides the more relaxed mode of travel,
there are other significant advantages. Nile cruises often
visit a wider variety of antiquities along the banks of the
river. But equally important, they also allow the tourist to
gain a prospective of the rural Egypt, where people live
much the same way they did even thousands of years ago,
in mud brick homes, tending their fields with wooden
plows and moving produce via donkey. It is a wonderful
experience to sit on a shaded deck of a floating hotel,
sipping an iced beverage while watching 5,000 years of
culture slowly drift by nile cruises may very considerably.
But typical Nile cruises are either three, four or seven nights. The shorter tours usually operate between Luxor and Aswan,
while the longer cruises travel further north to Dendera, often offering day tours overland to more remote locations.
Therefore, a fairly complete 14 day tour of Egypt might include several days around Cairo, seeing the pyramids, museums
and other antiquities, a short flight to Abu Simbel in the very southern part of Egypt surrounding a seven day Nile Cruise.
The usual cruise is aboard a
Nile cruiser, often referred to
as a floating hotel. Indeed,
the better boats have most the
accommodations of a land
based hotel, including small
swimming pools, hot tubs,
exercise rooms, nightclubs,
good restaurants, stores and
even small libraries.
Depending on what one is
willing to pay, rooms may be
very utilitarian and small, or
larger then some land based
hotel rooms.
Egypt's Party Town Hurghada
Since the 1980s, Hurghada has become the principal bathing resort on the
Red Sea, visited by American, European and Arabs. Holiday villages and first
class hotels provide excellent aquatic sport facilities.
What used to be a small fishing village is now a fully developed resort that
stretches for about 40 km along the Red Sea shore, attracting package holiday
tourists mostly from Europe, notably Russians, Czechs and Germans. Many
restaurants, bars and shops, small pubs and internet cafes are available all over
Hurghada. Mobile internet in Egypt (covered perfectly in Hurghada and all
around Red Sea) is available for low rates from the three major mobile
networks; Vodafone, Mobinil and Etisalat. You may need to check the
coverage in your current stay.
Known as a party town, with its many clubs, life in Hurghada begins at night.
Nearly every hotel has its own disco. The most famous ones at the moment are
"Calypso" and "Papas Beach". Renowned for belly dancing, Arabic and Nubian
folklore, is "Alf Leila Wa Leila" ("One thousand and one nights"). It is a big open-
air area, which offers a bit of everything.
Hurghada has become an international center for aquatic sports like windsurfing,
sailing, deep-sea fishing, swimming and, above all, snorkeling and diving. The
unique underwater gardens offshore are some of the finest in the world, justifiably
famous among divers. The warm waters here are ideal for many varieties of rare
fish and coral reefs, which may also be observed through glass bottom boats.
The city provides a gateway to prime diving sites throughout the Red Sea. Its
central location provides favorable access to very famous dive sites. In addition,
Hurghada is known for providing access to many uninhabited offshore reefs and
islands. The waters around the islands are popular with divers from all over the
world because of the chance to spot several kinds of sharks, including
hammerheads and oceanic whitetips
Hurghada
TOUR ATTRACTIONS: The main reason to
visit Hurghada is for the beautiful Red Sea,
excellent for diving or snorkeling. If you
aren't licensed to dive, it is often possible
to snorkel and see incredible coral reefs
and hundreds of varieties of tropical fish
just 10 meters from the beach. Again,
either your hotel will have dive escorts on
site, or they can arrange a scuba diving
expedition with guides. In late March, the
water is still quite cold (21 Celsius), so a
wet suit is necessary, and even snorkeling
in a bathing suit is too cold after about 10
minutes. It is also windy in late March;
sustained 20 MPH are common. Make sure
your beach resort hotel provides wind screens on the Beach.
TO DO: Hurghada offers many activities not to be found
anywhere else on Earth. Quad-biking hundreds of miles into
the Sahara desert for tea with a Bedouin tribe, then camel-
riding across Biblical plains to see remote and ancient
wonders; diving and snorkeling around a vibrant and
colourful coral reef; boat trips to the unpopulated Big and
Little Gifton islands; swimming in the warmest and saltiest sea
in the world (the Red Sea is more saline than even the Dead
Sea); good shopping; excellent and varied cuisine from
across the world.
Those new to Egypt will find Karkaday (a drink made from an
infusion of hibiscus, served hot or cold and reputed to have
many health benefits) and Chi (local version of tea, usually
served in a glass) offered everywhere. Both are delicious,
and will usually come replete with a smoke on a "sheesha"
pipe, known in the West as a "Hookah". Sheesha's are used
for smoking molasses tobacco in various flavours, with the
smoke passing through water before inhalation through a
long tube attached to the bowl. Although they may
resemble a device used to smoke illicit substances in the
west, (i.e, a bong), sheesha contains nothing illegal.
Beans come in all sizes, shapes and colors. They are found in all parts of the world and provide an
inexpensive protein source for a vast number of the world’s population. Known as a "powerhouse"
food by nutritionists, beans are low in calorie while being very rich in their nutrient content.
EGYPTIAN FOOD
TAMIYYA (or Falafel) – Bean Cakes
* 2 cups skinned white broad beans
* ½ cup fresh dill leaves
* ½ cup coriander leaves
* 2 onions*
* 10 garlic cloves*
* ½ cup parsley leaves
* 1 small leek, stalk only
* 1 teaspoon cumin
* ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (or chili pepper powder)
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1-2 tablespoon sesame seeds (optional)
* Cooking oil ( I used canola oil)
* salt
Fava beans are broad beans (spp: Vicia faba), and the word comes from the Latin, faba,
meaning, broad bean. In reality, there are both small and large broad beans. If you find fava beans in the produce department of your grocer, you will see a large, no, really a huge green pod, much larger than your standard green bean (haricot verte.) They also come in bags of dried beans, which are dark reddish brown in color with a very dark, short, stripe on them. Dried, shelled beans are also available in bags and are pale yellow in color. Large broad beans are used for Tamiyya, or seasoned, fried bean patties, which is our recipe choice for the month. Small fava beans are used in the very popular Fuul Medamis, which we will have a taste of next month. Tamiyya is a classic local Egyptian dish. While known in other parts of the Mediterranean as falafel, it is very commonly served as part of the mezze or appetizer course in Egypt. You will also see it served as a main course, as the "hamburger" of the Middle East, in a pita round with lettuce and tomato. As a different sort of recipe challenge, I decided to have a taste test with my family, serving first Tamiyya made from a commercial mix, from Egypt, that was purchased at Sindibad’s Import Co. in Rochester, NY. The package contains finely ground or powdered broad beans with seasonings. Water is added, patties are formed by hand and the patties are then fried. And the vote? My family gave it a thumbs up, no recount necessary. Later that evening I prepared my dried, shelled beans by soaking them, anticipating making tamiyya from scratch the next day. And so, the next day, Sunday actually, I begin to prepare my tamiyya. I found myself up to my elbows in beans. While the homemade tamiyya was even more satisfying to the family than the pre-packaged kind, I found myself in need of a meat grinder. My initial grinding of the beans and seasonings in my food processor was woefully inadequate, as my patties fell apart during the frying process. Before I got too far into this project, I put the mixture through my food processor a second time, resulting in a finer mince. The patties then stayed together during frying. The vote this time around? A resounding two thumbs up!
E
G
Y
P
T
I
A
N
M
O
V
I
E
S
Below is a list of films that have an Egyptian theme. (Some more
loosely than others!!) We do not profess that this listing is complete, as
we have included only what we consider to be the most popular
Egyptian based films. Even though we are aware there were
numerous films made before the 1930's, with an Egyptian theme
(mostly black and white silent movies) we decided to start with this 'International' era of movies.
1932 USA
The Mummy. (Universalpictures)
Starring Boris Karloff.
Directed by Karl
Freund.
A mummy accidently
brought back to life,
tries to do the same to
his long lost love, an
ancient Egyptian
princess. 1933 USA The Ghoul. Starring Boris Karloff. Directed by T.
Hayes Hunter.
A Professor returns as a walking corpse
to seek revenge on those who refused
to carry out his dying wish , namely that
he be buried with an ancient Egyptian
jewel, The Eternal Light.
1934 USA
Cleopatra. Starring Claudette Colbert. Directed by
Cecil B. DeMille.
The story of Cleopatra and her fateful
romances with Julius Cesear and Mark
Anthony.
I s s t i l l n o t k n o w n
Issue # 2
ALEXANDRIA
EGYPT Land of the Pharaohs
AMENHOTEP III
Recommended