Ancient Egypt & The Nile River (2007) - 15 days
December 1-15, 2007
I USED PHOTOS FROM A NUMBER OF TOUR PARTICIPANTS INCLUDING DAN HIRTH OF NEW ULM. IN THE NARRATION I REFER TO MY VIDEOTAPE WHICH IS AVAILABLE ON FILE.
PRE-TRIP. Friday, November 30: Depart New Ulm
Annette drove Dan Hirth and I to our hotel in Minneapolis. En route we stopped at Emma Krumbees for their fish special, although Dan Hirth opted for the chicken with sage dressing. We stayed at La Quinta (formerly Best Western) at France exit.
DAY 1 Saturday, December 1: Depart U.S.
We took the hotel airport shuttle at 5:30 am. Snow-fall was in the forecast, but we beat the weather. Our Luggage was checked through to Cairo by NWA and we departed MSP at 7:00 am on Flight 73.
Arrival JFK at 10:53 am allowed us to leisurely eat our Chinese lunch from Wok and Roll and for Dan and I to play cribbage. We left JFK at 6:30 pm bound for Cairo. Fortunately we both were able to get aisle seats. Dan was situated in the center section, seated next to fellow Grand Circler Travelers who had signed up for the same tour. Flight 986 took about eleven hours.
DAY 2 Sunday, December 2: Arrive Cairo, Egypt Our Boeing 777 reached Cairo International
Airport in the early afternoon. After we conveniently paid our $15 (US) visa fee, cleared customs and collected our luggage, a Grand Circle Representative, Attia Shaaban, met us. He assembled our group and assisted withthe transfer to the waiting bus. We joined up with Dave Smit, a fellow traveler from the Great Rivers of Europe tour last spring. Attia was a highly educated Egyptologist and served as our (blue dot) guide throughout the entire tour.
We departed from the modern (and still being enlarged) Cairo Airport and passed through Heliopolis en route to the hotel. An outstanding structure called Baron Empain appeared off to the left of our bus. We did not have time to videotape it, but the structure was quite an attraction (though Eyewitness Egypt, p. 137, refers to it as “the most magnificent of follies”). I looked for it every time we passed through Heliopolis. In 1905, Empain established the Heliopolis Oasis Company, which bought a large stretch of desert some distance to the northeast of Cairo at a low price from the colonial government. His efforts culminated in 1907 with the building of the new town of Heliopolis, in the desert ten kilometers from the center of Cairo. It was designed as a "city of luxury and leisure", with broad avenues and equipped with all necessary conveniences and infrastructure; water, drains and electricity.
The new city also represented the first large scale attempt to promote its own style (Heliopolis style). Empain's own residence however, adopted a unique style. Alexander Marcel, a French architect and a member of the prestigious French Institute, was commissioned by Empain to build him a Hindu palace. Modeled on Angkor Wat in Cambodia and the Hindu temples of Orissa, the palace was erected between 1907-1910.
Human rights activists are most concerned at the apparent role of the Egyptian government in the incident. All mosques in Egypt are under the direct control of the state Ministry of Islamic Endowments, the government body that supervises mosques, appoints imans and approves the sermons. In 2002 the ministry made their rule over the country’s estimated 90,000 mosques and private zawaya prayer halls absolute. All mosques must now be licensed. Zaqzouq’s officials appoint and pay the salaries of the imans, propose themes for their sermons and monitor their delivery.
Egypt's human rights situation has become increasingly tense as presidential elections draw near. President Hosni Mubarak has proposed changes in the constitution to open up the vote to new political parties and allow an open election for the presidency, but rights groups dispute both the motive and the claimed objectives of the plan. Mubarak's government controls the elected bodies that endorse candidates and virtually all the media. Mubarak, age 76 and in power since 1981, has not said whether he will seek a fifth six-year term, although he is widely expected to do so.
The Egyptian Organization for Human Rights (EOHR) warned of the danger of allowing politics to impose on religion. The attorney general should ensure that the incident was properly investigated and legal action taken to prevent their reoccurrence, said the EOHR in a statement. “Their sermons should seek to allow them “to better understand their religion and world, rather than being used as a means of defaming human rights activists and defenders of freedom of expression and opinion”.
The Deluxe Cairo Marriott, in the heart of Cairo was our home for the next week. This is an elegant and lovingly restored hotel housed in a former palace on the Gezira Island in the Nile. It rests on six acres of lush, tranquil gardens.
This palace was built for Empress Eugenie. de Montijo (1826-1920), a Spanish aristocrat who became empress of France on her marriage to Napoleon III in 1853.
The hotel offered a casino, several restaurants, a lounge, fitness center, indoor pool, sauna and beauty salon At 7 pm we were invited to a Welcome cocktail held at the elegant Salon Eugenie (Pictured ) of the Palace. Here we, note Dan in Video, enjoyed our first taste of Hibiscus juice or Karkade.
Karkade is a tart, bright-red hibiscus beverage that can be served hot or chilled with ice (when cold, it is often commonly referred to as Einab). It is very popular in some parts of the Middle East (especially North Africa). This drink was consumed in ancient Egypt and was reputedly a preferred drink of pharaohs. In Egypt and Sudan, wedding celebrations are traditionally toasted with a glass of hibiscus tea. On a typical street in downtown Cairo, one can find many vendors and open-air cafés selling the drink to both the local crowd and curious tourists.
We returned to our spacious room, which had a giant patio that overlooked the eternal Nile River down below. Here was the longest river in the world!
The riverboat seen in the video is the Maxim, an entertainment and dinning establishment that provides evening cruises on the Nile. Later in the trip, David Smith and I will make use of this facility. On the opposite bank was the skyline of modern downtown Cairo. Later that evening we explored the Palace. Prominently displayed were pictures of Queen Eugenie and Louis Napoleon (Napoleon III). The palace entrance, now the reception area of the hotel, was quite regal.
The Nile River that flows around the island that we are situated upon comes from the south. The Nile and its tributaries flow though nine countries with an average discharge of about 300 million cubic meters per day. The White Nile flows though Uganda, Sudan, and Egypt. The Blue Nile starts in Ethiopia. Zaire, Kenya, Tanzanian, Rwanda, and Burundi all have tributaries, which flow into the Nile or into lake Victoria. Egypt is the “gift of the River” because the river brings fresh water and fertile black silt every spring as it inundates the lower region. However, if low flooding occurs for a series of years, there may be a famine (such as Joseph had predicted in the Old Testament).
The population of Cairo is 16 million. Most Egyptians are Hamitic Arabs, descendants of the Hamites of ancient Egypt. Others are Nubians, closely related to the Berber tribes of North Africa. About 86% of the population is Sunni Muslims. The remaining 15% are mostly Copts, a Christian sect who continue to speak the ancient Egyptian language.
The Nile River that flows around the island that we are situated upon comes from the south. The Nile and its tributaries flow though nine countries with an average discharge of about 300 million cubic meters per day. The White Nile flows though Uganda, Sudan, and Egypt. The Blue Nile starts in Ethiopia. Zaire, Kenya, Tanzanian, Rwanda, and Burundi all have tributaries, which flow into the Nile or into lake Victoria. Egypt is the “gift of the River” because the river brings fresh water and fertile black silt every spring as it inundates the lower region. However, if low flooding occurs for a series of years, there may be a famine (such as Joseph had predicted in the Old Testament).
The population of Cairo is 16 million. Most Egyptians are Hamitic Arabs, descendants of the Hamites of ancient Egypt. Others are Nubians, closely related to the Berber tribes of North Africa. About 86% of the population is Sunni Muslims. The remaining 15% are mostly Copts, a Christian sect who continue to speak the ancient Egyptian language.
Our hotel is situated on an island located on the upper left portion of this city map. Egypt is the fifteenth most populous country in the world, and the second most populous country in Africa (after Nigeria). The vast majority of its 76.5 million people (2007) live near the banks of the Nile River (about 40,000 km˜ or 15,450 sq. miles) where the only arable agricultural land is found. Large areas of land form part of the Sahara Desert and are sparsely inhabited. Around half of Egypt's residents live in urban areas, with the majority spread across the densely populated centers of greater Cairo (the largest city in the Arab World, Africa, and the Middle East), Alexandria and other major towns in the Nile Delta.
Attia announced that tonight the dinner that had been slated as “on your own” had been changed to an included dinner. Not only that, but the location was to be in the garden area Arabian Nights Restaurant of the Marriott. The server who poured hibiscus juice from a huge quaint container captivated us.
Before retiring Dan and I stopped at the National Bank of Egypt located within the Marriott for acquiring 500 Egyptian pounds from an ATM machine. We divided the amount taken from my bankcard into 250 Egyptian pounds each, to be settled later in the States. Bank Midwest statement showed that 500 EP cost us $90.76.
DAY 3 Monday, Dec. 3 Cairo/Museum of Egyptian Antiquities
Our included breakfast began at 6 am in the Omar’s café on the ground floor of the Palace. Us Grand Circle people had a wing reserved for us. Every GCT table had bottles of filtered water for our use. Nowhere in Egypt did we drink the local water. The breakfast serving tables offered comprehensive dishes and a chef was always available to prepared custom orders of fried eggs or whatever.
After breakfast we gathered for a briefing on the upcoming trip. Our Program Directors went over the details of the tour and took orders for optional trips. We also had a Discovery Series discussion on “Ancient Egypt,” as a prelude to the discoveries ahead.
At noon we boarded our blue color-coded bus to visit the world-renowned Museum of Egyptian Antiquities. GCT had four modern comfortable buses at our disposal. We were divided into four groups – blue, red, green and yellow. The size of each group was such that there were plenty of seats on each bus. Dave, Dan and I each always had a spacious double seat. All buses were assigned a security agentdressed in a suit that concealed an automatic weapon. If you look closely atthe photo below you can see a portion of the weapon by his right back pocket.
We also had high security at the entrance to the hotel grounds The buses always departed as a group, meaning that any person late for a trip delayed the whole convoy.
No cameras were allowed in the Egyptian Museum so my videotaping was restricted to the main building built in 1897 and the outside grounds (which featured authentic sculptures).
The museum was arranged roughly in chronological order so one can walk through from the Old Kingdom to Ptolomaic and Roman exhibits. Accompanied by our certified Egyptologist Program Director, we started with room 49 of the ground floor. Attia was very much qualified and his comments on the sarcophagi were interesting, but when we moved up to the first floor to view the treasures of Tutankhamen’s tomb, I left the group to discover on my own.
The exhibits had little cards with faded typewritten notes in English that helpedme out. There were 1,700 items since King Tut had been covered with jewels, laid in a coffin made of solid gold, placed inside a second coffin, which in turn fitted inside a third.
The stone sarcophagus holding the three coffins was itself contained with four coverings made of stuccoed and gilded wood. Apparently the king did not want his mummy disturbed.
After looking at the Tut exhibit, I viewed animal mummies (baboons, crocodiles and cats) before purchasing a 100 Egyptian pound ticket to enter the Royal Mummy Room. I ended my tour in Room 24(atrium) examining the empty eyed statue of King Djoser carved in limestone 5,000 years ago.
When I returned to the bus I videoed pictures or postcards of objects that I had seen on my journey.
Tut treasures:
The life-size Golden Mask of Tutankhamen
Canopic chest with four head pieces that served as stoppers (lids).
One lid was removed to reveal the canopic jar. Vital organs were placed in these four canopic jars.
Goddess Isis figure protecting Tutankhamen’s shrine
Miniature canopic coffins
Triple lamp carved from a single piece of alabaster
Alabaster perfume vase
Tut throne. On the back of this lavishly decorated throne is the
portrayal of Tut and his wife under the rays of Aten, the sun.
Royal Mummy Room:
After looking at the Tut exhibit, I viewed animal mummies (baboons, crocodiles and cats) before purchasing a 100 Egyptian pound ticket to enter the Royal Mummy Room. I ended my tour in Room 24(atrium) examining the empty eyed statue of King Djoser carved in limestone 5,000 years ago.
When I returned to the bus I videoed pictures or postcards of objects that I had seen on my journey.
Tut treasures:
The life-size Golden Mask of Tutankhamen
Canopic chest with four head pieces that served as stoppers (lids).
One lid was removed to reveal the canopic jar. Vital organs were placed in these four canopic jars.
Goddess Isis figure protecting Tutankhamen’s shrine
Miniature canopic coffins
Triple lamp carved from a single piece of alabaster
Alabaster perfume vase
Tut throne. On the back of this lavishly decorated throne is the
portrayal of Tut and his wife under the rays of Aten, the sun.
Royal Mummy Room:
Tuthmosis I-IV (seen, but no pictures on video)
Ramses II, one of the best-preserved mummies, was discovered in 1881.
On the way to the Museum, the mummy was taxed as an imported dried fish by a befuddled Egyptian inspector (Time/Life)
Hatshepsut (famous bearded pharaoh)
Canopic box (containing tooth that identified Hatshepsut’s mummy)
X-ray of Hatshepsut’s jaw with key missing tooth
Famous wet nurse mummy (thought to have been Hatshepsut)
As to the why and how mummies were mummified:Some part of a dead pharaoh's spirit, called his ka, was believed to remain with the body. And it was thought that if the corpse did not have proper care, the former pharaoh would not be able to carry out his new duties as king of the dead. If this happened, the cycle would be broken and disaster would befall Egypt. To prevent such a catastrophe, each dead pharaoh was mummified, which preserved his body.
According to National Geographic and Rachel Simmons, (www.mnsu.edu) 2003: Preparing a body for the afterlife in ancient Egypt was a very long (70 days) and complicated process. The Egyptians believed that preserving the body in death was important to keep their soul alive. The Embalmers were priests who were trained in the mummification process. Mummification was a ritual, so the priests who participated were trained to perform the process with both surgical and ritual precision. .
The head priest that supervised the ritual wore a terra-cotta mask in the form of Anubis. the chosen god for surgeons, and for priestsperforming the mummification process. By wearing the mask of Anubis it symbolized Anubis watching over the mummification process to guide the priests in the ritual. It was important that the priest did not make any unnecessary cuts in the body, because if the spirit could not recognize the body it would be doomed to wonder across the Earth and possibly haunt the priest responsible.
The first step in the process was to make a cut in the abdomen. They had to cut into the body so that they could take out special organs. Once the organs were removed they were placed in canopic jars, which were carved out of alabaster and inscribed with spells that would one day enable the organs to rejoin the body. The organs that were placed in the jars include: stomach, lungs, intestines, and liver. Next the brain would be extracted through the nose and then thrown away. Resin was then poured through the nose and into the skull with the use of a funnel, to keep the head from collapsing. The heart was left in place because later in the underworld Anubis would weigh the heart and guide the soul through the underworld. During the embalming process every part of the body was saved and either placed in the tomb with the body or given to the relatives of the deceased. Then, the body and organs were preserved with spices and dried out with natron salt.
The spices that were used in the preservation process made the body look brown and leathery. The lips, cheeks, and eyebrows were painted. After the process was complete, the body was wrapped in linen. Death masks were placed on the head of the mummy around the bandages to be used as a replacement head incase something happened to the real skull. Special amulets were placed within the wrapping of the mummy to protect it. Finally, a “mummy tag,” similar to our toe tags, was placed around the mummy’s neck to help identify it for burial.
Attia had warned us that we should always survey the ground as we walked in Egypt because of uneven surfaces and varied levels of steps. He added: “For good measure, don’t talk and walk at the same time.” Good advice, but still I took a nasty fall at the museum. Yet, it must be said, I would not be the last of our group to suffer such a fate.
David Smith had a bevy of cheerful exuberant teenage girls hanging on to him as he worked his way to the bus.
They were fascinated by Americans and this was augmented by the fact David was a natural good mixer. Those bobbing heads, covered with colorful shawls, would have made such a good video. The giggling girls sought David’s attention even after he was seated on the bus.
Exclusive Discovery Series Event:
We returned to the hotel for the 5-6 pm scheduled “Home Away From Home” lecture with an American woman who described her life as an expatriate in Egypt. She had converted to the Islamic religion. We met in the Empress Room of the Palace, a room well suited for such group presentations.
Shortly afterwards, 6:15 pm, we boarded our buses for a home-hosted visit. The busy traffic drive provideda harrowing experience. Cairo traffic is something else. Basically, there is only one rule –do whatever you like! Cars cut in front of each other at will. To make a U-turn one needs only cut over and hope the traffic stops in time. Most drivers do not have insurance, If there is a collision, harsh words are spoken and then the drivers continue on their way. Traffic tickets accumulate, only to be negotiated for payment. Many cars did not have their lights turned on, even though it was dark. We saw a motorcycle driving the wrong way on the street with his lights off. Our bus driver was an aggressive and daring driver. He had to be in order to ever reach our destinations.
Exclusive Discovery Series Event:
We returned to the hotel for the 5-6 pm scheduled “Home Away From Home” lecture with an American woman who described her life as an expatriate in Egypt. She had converted to the Islamic religion. We met in the Empress Room of the Palace, a room well suited for such group presentations.
Shortly afterwards, 6:15 pm, we boarded our buses for a home-hosted visit. The busy traffic drive provideda harrowing experience. Cairo traffic is something else. Basically, there is only one rule –do whatever you like! Cars cut in front of each other at will. To make a U-turn one needs only cut over and hope the traffic stops in time. Most drivers do not have insurance, If there is a collision, harsh words are spoken and then the drivers continue on their way. Traffic tickets accumulate, only to be negotiated for payment. Many cars did not have their lights turned on, even though it was dark. We saw a motorcycle driving the wrong way on the street with his lights off. Our bus driver was an aggressive and daring driver. He had to be in order to ever reach our destinations.
To become acquainted with Egyptian life we visited with a local family in their home, and shared their evening meal with them. This was a wonderful opportunity to experience the everyday life and hospitality of typical Egyptians. Actually, they were upper middle class Egyptians who were well educated and spoke very good English. The two boys were still in school and were very open in discussion about Egyptian life. We formed a large circle in the living room and then each in turn said something about themselves. The food was Egyptian cuisine-- which served social and family gatherings as cultural events. The portions were huge and of many varieties. We had eggplant, vegetables in sauce, chicken strips, tender slices of beef, tomatoes and cucumbers. Dessert consisted of sweet potatoes and sweetened rice. Just an excellent evening all around.
DAY 4 Tuesday, December 4 Cairo/Giza/Optional Sakkara Tour
Breakfast at the hotel was at 6 am with a scheduled pyramid departure set for 7:30 am. This was a day of great anticipation. Our bus took us through an area that had been farmland and then opened to settlement to large number of immigrants. Buildings here were built with no guiding building codes. No requirements were made for water, sewage or distance between the drab buildings.
Consequently the area looked chaotic. Many buildings were hastily constructed in ill fashion. Quite a few were intentional unfinished since no taxes had to be paid on unfinished structures.
And then we came to the Giza Plateau, home of Egypt’s signature attractions: the Great Pyramids, proclaimed by the Greeks to be among the Seven Wonders of the ancient world. Security was tight and staged at intervals were armed security guards mounted on camels. There were a lot of people arriving in buses who had to be watched.
The first stop we visited was the largest pyramid --- the Great Pyramid of Cheops, probably built more than 2,600 years before the time of Christ. Standing 450 feet tall, this is the last of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world still standing.
Some believed it to have taken 100,000 laborers about 20 years to build the mammoth Khufu pyramid, but modern estimates of the number of laborers tend to be much smaller. It took an estimated 2.3 million blocks. By one theory, crews dragged or pushed limestone blocks up mud-slicked ramps to construct the royal tombs. Granite was made into blocks by chiseling ridges and drilling holes. Wooden plugs were forced into the holes. When the wood was watered its expansion broke the granite along the ridge lines.
Little is known of Cheops, as information about him was looted from the pyramid long before archaeologists explored it. He must, however, have been extremely wealthy and powerful to have such a monument built as his sole tomb. Many scholars think the pyramid shape was an important religious statement for the Egyptians, perhaps symbolizing the slanting rays of the sun. Some speculate the sloping sides were intended to help the soul of the king climb to the sky and join the gods.
Also known as the Great Pyramid of Khufu, the pyramid was only part of the complex built for him at Giza. I started my video with a view of the Great Pyramid from between two of our buses. Dan does not appear on the video at this site because he decided to walk all the way around the structure. That great trek took up all of his allotted time. David Smith took over the camcorder to record me with the great structure in the background.
Tourists are prohibited from climbing the pyramids, but that did not prevent a few from trying anyhow. Quickly security people called them to task. We were however, allowed to climb a small portion to reach the entrance of the monument. From here I could peek inside the passageway. I did not purchase an entrance ticket because I am a little claustrophobic.
We next headed for the Solar Boat Museum. In 1954, as loose rubble was being cleared from the south side of the Grand Pyramid, excavators unearthed two rectangular caches covered with huge slabs of limestone.
Little is known of Cheops, as information about him was looted from the pyramid long before archaeologists explored it. He must, however, have been extremely wealthy and powerful to have such a monument built as his sole tomb. Many scholars think the pyramid shape was an important religious statement for the Egyptians, perhaps symbolizing the slanting rays of the sun. Some speculate the sloping sides were intended to help the soul of the king climb to the sky and join the gods.
Also known as the Great Pyramid of Khufu, the pyramid was only part of the complex built for him at Giza. I started my video with a view of the Great Pyramid from between two of our buses. Dan does not appear on the video at this site because he decided to walk all the way around the structure. That great trek took up all of his allotted time. David Smith took over the camcorder to record me with the great structure in the background.
Tourists are prohibited from climbing the pyramids, but that did not prevent a few from trying anyhow. Quickly security people called them to task. We were however, allowed to climb a small portion to reach the entrance of the monument. From here I could peek inside the passageway. I did not purchase an entrance ticket because I am a little claustrophobic.
We next headed for the Solar Boat Museum. In 1954, as loose rubble was being cleared from the south side of the Grand Pyramid, excavators unearthed two rectangular caches covered with huge slabs of limestone.
The slabs covered a pit containing a huge boat "Solar Bargue" made of cedar wood. The boat (Solar Barque) is a nearly perfectly preserved funerary boat used to ferry the pharaoh’s mummy across the Nile, and then buried atthe foot of the pyramid for his use in the afterlife. Held together with ropes and pegs (but no nails), the boat is on display encased in stone.
Before we could enter we had to put coverings over our shoes as not to damage floors in the museum. Inside were the large slabs of limestone that covered the original pit.
Before we could enter we had to put coverings over our shoes as not to damage floors in the museum. Inside were the large slabs of limestone that covered the original pit.
There was an admission charge, but the exhibits were well worth the price. The museum itself took the shape of the boat. The ship was carefully reconstructed using supplemental cedar wood for missing pieces. Smaller exhibits contained models and knots of the original ropes.
From the Solar Bargue Museum we could see the Khafre Pyramid with its upper smooth construction still in place. We will return later to this structure. I included a map of the Giza pyramids here to show their relative positions. From here we headed over to the desert region beyond the pyramids to allow those who wished to ride a camel a chance to do so. From here we had a commanding view of all three major pyramids. I had mounted a camel in Morocco so passed on this one. Dan did take a camel ride into the desert – and had he continued he would have seen sand all the way to the Atlantic coast.
The one-humped Arabian camel has been an essential part of life in Egypt for thousands of years, although they initially came from Persia. Used primarily for transporting goods, the camel also provides milk, wool and meat. Camels are ideally suited to desert life:
Their hump contains fat that allows the camel to survive up to a week without food. (Contrary to myth the camel’s hump is not filled with water).Their third transparent eyelid allows them to see in sand storms. Their nostrils close between breaths. Their unique body thermostat minimizes unnecessary water loss through sweating (though they do spit). When they walk, camels move both legs on one side. This creates a rolling motion, hence their nickname “ships of the desert”.
Dan handed me his camera so I could take a shot of him with the pyramids in the background, but a tip-hungry camel driver took the camera from me and insisted he take the responsibility. As it turned out, his pictures did not turn out. From here we headed out to our next site, passing three smaller so-called satellite pyramids on its north side of the Great Pyramid. These are often referred to as the Queen’s Pyramids. The three queens that were associated with these pyramids were Hetepheres, Meritetes and Henutsen. The exteriors of the pyramids are badly damaged and appear as if rubble.
The Great Sphinx is to the northeast of Khafre's (Chephren) Valley Temple. Where it sits was once a quarry. We believe that Khafre's workers shaped the stone into the lion and gave it their king's face over 4,500 years ago. Khafre's name was also mentioned on the Dream Stele, which sits between the paws of the great beast. However, no one is completely certain that it is in fact the face of Khafre, though indeed that is the preponderance of thought. Recently, however, it has been argued that Khufu, builder of the Great Pyramid, may have also had the Great Sphinx built.
The Great Sphinx is believed to be the most immense stone sculpture in the round ever made by man. The material of the Sphinx was the limestone bedrock. This meant trenching out a deep, U-shaped ditch that isolated a huge rectangular bedrock block for carving the Sphinx. This enclosure is deepest immediately around the body, with a shelf at the rear of the monument where it was left unfinished.
The good, hard limestone that lay around the Sphinx's head was probably all quarried for blocks to build the pyramids. The limestone removed to shape the body of the beast was evidently employed to build the two temples to the east of the Sphinx, on a terrace lower than the floor of the Sphinx enclosure, one almost directly in front of the paws, the other to the south of the first one. The Sphinx faces the rising sun with a temple to the front that resembles the sun temples that were built later by the kings of the 5th Dynasty. The lion was a solar symbol in more than one ancient Near Eastern culture. The royal human head on a lion's body symbolized power and might, controlled by the intelligence of the pharaoh, guarantor of the cosmic order. Its symbolism survived in the iconography of Egyptian civilization.
The huge brick paws, which were built during the Roman period, do not add to the beauty of the Sphinx (according to Pierre Montet, Eternal Egypt), which was still further marred when an Arab prince of the Middle Ages used the head as a target. Some however, incorrectly say it was Napoleon (Lonely Planet, p. 196.). Our guide Attia blamed the French, expressing the viewpoint that Muslims would not desecrate historical monuments. Part of the fallen beard is now in the British Museum in London.
The Sphinx is not an isolated monument and it must be examined in the context of its surroundings. Specifically, like many of Egypt's monuments, it is a complex that consists not only of the great statue itself, but also of its old temple, a New Kingdom temple and some other small structures. It is also closely related to Khafre's Valley Temple, which served as our starting point for our visit here. We entered the temple through a narrow stone opening and walked along the original alabaster flooring. On the other side we had a commanding view of the side of the Sphinx. From here I walked along the causeway towards Khafre’s Pyramid. The causeway led from the valley temple to the mortuary temple, the final point of contact between the worlds of the living and the dead. I videotaped tourists on the causeway with the towering Pyramid of Khafre behind them.
After an included lunch at the exclusive Le Meridien Hotel, we headed for Sakkara (map on video), part of Memphis’s massive necropolis, and the burial site of most kings of the 1st and 2nd dynasties. Given its vital role in the earliest years of the Egyptian civilization, Sakkara is a focal point of Egyptological studies. Its best-known monument is the Djozer's Step Pyramid. This was another high point of our trip.
His pyramid is believed to have been created by one man, Imhotep, who has been called Doctor, Sage, Architect, Astronomer and High Priest. During an excavation in 1924-26, a pedestal of a statue of Djoser (Zoser) was found. This artifact is the one I referred to as viewing at the Egyptian Museum.
A vast enclosure surrounded the Step Pyramid (see illustration on video) marking yet another major achievement, as it provided the template for subsequent Egyptian art and architecture. A part of the ancient wall, complete with bastions and recesses to the southeast corner provided the entrance by which we entered. A colonnaded corridor of 40 pillars ribbed in imitation of palm stems led into the South Court. Once inside I taped the celebrated monument and walked around the courtyard.
DAY 6 Thursday, December 6 Cairo/Optional Spiritual Cairo Tour
The Mosque of Muhammad Ali is the most popular Islamic mosque among tourists in the city. This mosque is also sometimes referred to as the Alabaster Mosque due to its extensive use of that stone on some of the exterior walls and other surfaces. The mosque, the largest such structure built during the first half of the 19th century, is more impressive at a distance than close up. It is almost certainly the first feature that catches ones eyes at the fortress.
Muhammad Ali tore down the remains of Mamluk palaces and their dependencies, which were the most impressive buildings in Cairo despite their dilapidated condition. Muhammad Ali, who was more eager to build modern facilities than religious foundations, erected this mosque, where he is buried, as a monument to himself. It is also an imperial mosque, which challenged those of Istanbul much in the same way that Muhammad Ali did militarily. Muhammad Ali destroyed all traces of the Mamluk palaces from which Egypt had been ruled since the thirteenth century. This is the reason why, among Cairo's wealth of historic Islamic monuments, there is not one royal palace left from these periods. It should be noted that the Mosque of Muhammad Ali is not typical of such structures in Cairo. In its architecture, Muhammad Ali achieved a radical break with all traditional characteristics of Cairo architecture from the Mamluk to the late Ottoman period.
In the southwest corner of the sanctuary, within an enclosure richly decorated with bronze openwork, is the magnificent, white marble cenotaph of Muhammad Ali. He was originally buried at Housh el Basha, but one of his successors, King Abbas I, had his body moved to this location.
We customarily removed our shoes and Attia ushered us to a designated spot for his lecture. To his right was a milrab (prayer niche) made of Egyptian marble. The small minbar (pulpit) made of alabaster was a gift from King Faruq, dating to 1939. Further to our right was a much larger minbar, which was highly decorative. The larger one of wood is decorated with gilt ornament, and is original. It is said to be one of the largest in Egypt, incorporating significant gold in its decorations. Attia said this was used on occasion when there were large numbers of worshippers. Women who visited the mosque were required to wear green gowns over their street clothes if they were judged to be improperly dressed. During prayer times women were situated in the balcony.
I caught up with the group at the overlook outside the mosque and took in the view (w/ Mosque of Hassan). Then as I walked back to the bus I taped the outer fortified walls of the Citadel.
Our next stop on our spiritual journey was at the Ben Ezra Synagogue, built sometime between the sixth and ninth centuries AD. The temple contains a Jewish Heritage Library, containing documents found here in 1896 that describe the economic and social conditions of Jews under Arab rule as well as descriptions of relations between various Jewish sects. Ben Ezra Synagogue, Egypt's oldest synagogue dates from the 9th century though it occupies the shell of a 4th century Christian church. It was restored in the 12th century by Abraham Ben Ezra, hence its name. Tradition has it that Jeremiah stood on this spot when he gathered Jews after they fled from Nebuchadnezzar. There is also a spring that is supposed to mark the place where pharaoh's daughter found Moses in the reeds, and where Mary drew water to wash Jesus. I personally do not put too much stock in these sites based on” traditions,” neither here nor at other religious sites.
School children on organized outings were lined up at all the sites, When we passed them they would give us high 5s. Attia had written our names in Arabic on our name tags and kids would often holler out our names as we walked along.
became the center of the Coptic (or Christian) Church of Egypt from thetime it was rebuilt in the eleventh century until the 14th century. Dedicated to the Virgin Mary this church is called the Hanging Church because it is built on top of the Water Gate of Roman Babylon. It is the most famous, the most beautiful, and possibly the oldest Christian place of worship in Cairo, dating back to the 4th century. One of the pillars is darker than the rest symbolizing Judas. The grey pillar is for “doubting Thomas.” Coptic mass is still held on Fridays and Sundays and the ancient liturgical Coptic language is still used for most of the services.
The Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria is the official name for the parent church body in Egypt of the largest church of the Copts, or Christian Egyptians, which has a worldwide presence. The Church belongs to the Oriental Orthodox family of churches, and has been a distinct church body since the Council of Chalcedon in 451 AD, when it took a different position over Christological theology from that of the Eastern Orthodox and Catholic churches, then still in union. The precise differences in theology that caused the split are still disputed, and highly technical. They are mainly concerned with the Nature of Christ (Christ has only one nature, the divine). According to tradition, the Coptic Orthodox Church is the Church of Alexandria that was established by Saint Mark, the apostle and evangelist, in the middle of the 1st century (approximately 42 AD). The head of the church, and the See of Alexandria, is the Pope and Patriarch of All Africa on the Holy See of Saint Mark, currently His Holiness Pope Shenouda III. More than 95% of Egypt's Christians belong to the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria, though other churches also claim Patriarchates and Patriarchs of Alexandria
Babylon's western gate. Built in 98 A.D. by Emperor Trajan, these were part of the waterside battlements. After going through a narrow courtyard we entered the Church of St. George, but first we had to climb stairs.
Travelers knew the edifice during the 14th and 15th centuries as the "staircase church" because of the twenty-nine steps that lead to the entrance. Once inside, it was immediately evident that the church was dedicated to Mary. I thought the notable timber wagon-vaulted roof ceiling interesting, kind of Franciscan. Walking back to the bus I took a parting shot at the Church of St. George, at least of the circular dome. The circular form of the church echoes the shape of the 1st century AD Roman gate tower upon which it was built.
Optional Alexandria Tour
We elected to take the train to Alexandria, Egypt’s second largest city and main port, for a full-day optional tour (see map on video).
When we arrived at the Alexandria depot we encountered the ubiquitous armed security guides. Attia summoned his flock together for our Alexandria adventure. Founded by Alexander the Great in 331 BC, Alexandria grew to become one of the most important cities of the Roman Empire—rivaling Rome itself in many respects—and a center of agriculture and great learning. The Muslims under General Amr ibn-al-As besieged Alexandria, capturing and almost destroying the city in After losing the city in 645, the Muslims reasserted their control for good in 646. Under Muslim rule the city declined, particularly after the rise of Cairo after about 968 and the opening of the sea route to India in the 15th century. Alexandria was captured and held from 1798 to 1801 by Napoleon
Accession to the throne Ptolemy XII died in March 51BC, making the 18-year-old Cleopatra and the 12-year-old Ptolemy XIII joint monarchs. Although Cleopatra was married to her young brother, she quickly showed indications that she had no intentions of sharing power with him. Plots failed and she was forced to flee Egypt. While Cleopatra was in exile, Ptolemy became embroiled in the Roman civil war. In the autumn of 48 BC, Pompey fled from the forces of Julius Caesar to Alexandria, seeking sanctuary.
en route to make war with the Parthians. He renewed his relationship with Cleopatra, and from this point on Alexandria would be his home.
He married Cleopatra according to the Egyptian rite, although he was at the time married to Octavia Minor. He and Cleopatra had another child, Ptolemy Philadelphus. The Romans considered Anthony’s behavior outrageous, and Octavian convinced the Senate to levy war against Egypt. In 31 BC Anthony's forces faced the Romans in a naval action off the coast of Actium.
Cleopatra was present with a fleet of her own. Popular legend tells us that when she saw that Anthony's poorly equipped and manned ships were losing to the Romans' superior vessels, she took flight and that Anthony abandoned the battle to follow her, but no contemporary evidence states this was the case. armies deserted to Octavian on August 12, 30 BC
Anthony committed suicide, having been told Cleopatra was dead. According to the doctor Olympus (an eye-witness), he was brought to Cleopatra's tomb and died in her arms. A few days later, on November 30, Cleopatra also died by snakebite. The ancient sources generally agree that she had two asps hidden in a fig basket so as she was eating she would never know when she would die. Her two handmaidens died with her. Octavian, waiting in a building nearby, was informed of her death, and went to see for himself. Octavian spared the three children of Cleopatra and Anthony, who had gained control, and taken back to Rome where they were taken care of by Anthony's wife, Octavia Minor, who was also Octavian's sister.
Cleopatra's story has fascinated scores of writers and artists through the centuries. While she was a powerful political figure in her own right, it is likely that much of her appeal lay in her legend as a great seductress who was able to ally herself with two of the most powerful men (Julius Caesar and Mark Anthony) of her time.
On the bus trip back to Cairo, Attia held a question and answer session. He discussed Egypt’s capital punishment, freedom of choice in marriage (except for remote tribes), abortion (allowed to save life of mother and in some cases of rape), and so on. Traffic was very heavy and moved slowly. A pit stop broke up the trip and presented a chance to water the camels.
We arrived back at the Marriott late at night. Sleep came easily.
GO ON TO 2007 EGYPT PART II
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