Rescue in Nubia 4.- a Colossal Task: Abu Simbel and Philae

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Rescue in Nubia 4.- A colossal task: Abu Simbel and Philae The Abu Simbel temples, devoted to Ramesses II and his wife Nefer- tari, are one of the architectural wonders of the world. The rescue of Abu Simbel and the temples located at Philae Island was a top priority. Their huge dimensions, combined with the technical com- plexity of the operation, provided one of the most spectacular mo- ments in the international cam- Abu Simbel paign. After many consultations, the selected project involved cutting both temples, removing them from the cliffs where they were carved and reas- sembling them in a new location placed 65 metres higher. Works started in April 1964 and finished in 1968. The temples were cut into 1,042 blocks, some of them weighing as much as 20 tons. Two huge concrete domes were built over the temples to recreate the mountain where they had originally been placed. The opening of the temples was the first great victory in Nubia, but one last challenge remained: Philae. Known as the Pearl of the Nile, the small island of Philae, with its Greco- Roman shrines and its luxuriant flora amidst the granitic landscape of the cataract, was an iconic place for Euro- pean artists and travellers in Egypt during the 19th century. The construction of the old Aswan Dam in 1902, together with the successive projects to raise its level, had left the island and its temples partially sub- merged under the water. When plans to build the new dam were announced, the rescue of Philae and Abu Simbel became a top priority. Philae The adopted solution involved dismantling the temples and relocating them at Agilkia Island, 400 metres northwest of Philae. Works started in 1972, when the monuments were dismantled and documented. At the same time, Agilkia was transformed to make it look like Philae. The opening of the complex in 1980 marked the end of the Nubian campaign..

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