Ancient Egyptian Quarries – an Illustrated Overview

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Ancient Egyptian Quarries – an Illustrated Overview GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF NORWAY SPECIAL PUBLICATION n 12 Ancient Egyptian quarries – an illustrated overview James A. Harrell1 and Per Storemyr2 1Department of Environmental Sciences (MS #604), 2801 West Bancroft Street, The University of Toledo, Toledo, Ohio 43606–3390, USA. 2Geological Survey of Norway, 7491 Trondheim, Norway/CSC Conservation Science Consulting, CH-1700 Fribourg, Switzerland. Present address: Herrligstrasse 15, CH-8048 Zurich, Switzerland. E-mail: [email protected] and [email protected] The surviving remains of ancient Egyptian material culture are dominated by the stones used for building, ornamental, gem, and utilitarian applications. These came mainly from the Nile Valley and Eastern Desert (with some also from the Western Desert), where over 200 quarries have been dis- covered spanning about 3500 years from the Late Predynastic Period to the Late Roman Period. The harder stones (nearly all the igneous and metamorphic rocks plus silicified sandstone and chert) were quarried using stone tools aided by fire setting and wood levers up until the Late Period, when the stone tools were replaced by iron ones. The softer stones (mainly limestone, sandstone, and travertine) were extracted with copper and, later, bronze picks and chisels during the Dynastic Peri- od, with iron tools again replacing the earlier ones by the end of the Late Period. Until the advent of suitable roadways and wagons rugged enough to transport them in the Greco–Roman Period, the larger pieces of quarried stone were carried on sledges, often along prepared roads, and probably pulled by teams of men to the building sites or to the Nile River for shipping. Ancient quarries are more than just sources of stones, but are also rich archeological sites with ruins and other cultural remains. Their study and preservation is necessary because they provide a unique perspective on life in ancient Egypt. Harrell, J.A. and Storemyr, P. (2009) Ancient Egyptian quarries—an illustrated overview. In Abu-Jaber, N., Bloxam, E.G., Degryse, P. and Heldal, T. (eds.) QuarryScapes: ancient stone quarry landscapes in the Eastern Mediterranean, Geological Survey of Norway Special Publication,12, pp. 7–50. 7 n JAMES A. HARRELL And PER STOREMYR Introduction concludes with a review of the typical in the Nile Valley and desert wadis, and archeological remains found at quarry aeolian sand in the Eastern Desert and Much of what remains of ancient Egypt sites. This overview is intended for the especially in the Western Desert with its consists of stone. There are building general reader and so reference citations vast Saharan ‘sand sea’. During the Qua- stones for temples, pyramids, and tombs; are largely omitted from the text but are ternary, biogenic deposits accumulated ornamental stones for vessels, sarcopha- included in the bibliography. along Egypt’s coasts, with carbonate gi, shrines, stelae, statues, and other dunes forming behind the Mediterra- sculptures; gemstones for jewelry and nean beaches and carbonate reefs form- the decorative arts; and utilitarian stones Overview of Egyptian ing off the Red Sea shore. for tools, weapons, grinding stones, and geology Outcrops of Precambrian basement other applications. It is with the sources rocks are restricted to the southern Sinai and varieties of these stones that this Egypt’s oldest rocks date to the late Pre- Peninsula, the southeast and southwest paper is concerned. We have excluded cambrian and early Phanerozoic eons, corners of the Western Desert, and the those rocks supplying precious metals, approximately 500 to 2600 million years Red Sea Hills of the Eastern Desert. The such as gold and copper, but for these ago (Ma), with most forming during the latter outcrops broaden westward at the see Ogden (2000) and Klemm et al. Pan-African Orogeny of 500 to 1200 Ma latitude of Aswan and extend all the way (2001, 2002). The term ‘quarry’ is used (see Table 1 for the geologic time scale to the Nile, where they form this river’s here for all extraction sites, although and the geologic ages of the quarry stones, ‘First Cataract’. Another five cataracts in- those for gemstones (and precious met- and attached, fold-out map for the gen- terrupt the Nile River in northern Sudan. als) are more commonly referred to as eralized geology of Egypt and the quarry Outcrops of sedimentary rocks, mainly ‘mines.’ In the sections that follow, the locations). These include both igneous sandstone in southern (Upper) Egypt geology of Egypt is first summarized in and metamorphic rocks, collectively re- and limestone to the north in Middle order to provide a general idea of the ferred to as Egypt’s ‘crystalline basement and Lower Egypt, form the ‘walls’ of the stones available to the ancient Egyptians. complex’. The basement rocks are mostly Nile Valley and the surfaces of the adja- A database of known ancient quarries is buried beneath layered sequences of cent plateaus of the Western and Eastern then presented and this is followed by a younger Phanerozoic sedimentary rocks. deserts. discussion of the various uses to which Overlying most of the latter are geologi- During the Paleozoic and Mesozoic the quarried stones were put. The pa- cally recent (Quaternary period) deposits eras of the Phanerozoic eon, Egypt was per continues with a description of the of unconsolidated sediments, including alternately elevated above sea level and quarrying technologies employed, and fluvial siliciclastic gravel, sand, and mud inundated by shallow seas with mostly Table 1. Geologic time scale. Dates are from USGS (2007). Eon Era Period Epoch Million years Egyptian quarries before present Quaternary Holocene present–0.0115 Pleistocene 0.0115–1.8 all limestone along the Mediterranean coast Tertiary Pliocene 1.8–5.3 limestone at Dahshur and Gebel el-Gir Miocene 5.3–23 all anhydrite and gypsum along the Red Sea coast Oligocene 23–33.9 Gebel Ahmar silicified sandstone and all basalt Eocene 33.9–55.8 all limestone in the Nile Valley, except at Dahshur, Gebel el-Gir and el-Dibabiya; all travertine and chert; and the Umm el-Sawan gypsum Paleocene 58.8–65.5 limestone at el-Dibabiya Cretaceous 65.5–145.5 all sandstone, including the silicified variety except at Gebel Ahmar Jurassic 145.5–199.6 all turquoise and some malachite Triassic 199.6–251 Permian 251–299 Carboniferous 299–359.2 Devonian 359.2–416 Silurian 416–443.7 Ordovician 443.7–488.3 Meso- Cenozoic Paleozoic zoic Cambrian 488.3–542 542–4,000+ all igneous and metamorphic rock varieties, except basalt; and all gemstones except turquoise and some malachite Pre- Phanerozoic cambrian 8 AnCIENT EgYPTIAN QUARRIES – AN ILLUSTRATED OVERVIEW n siliciclastic sedimentary rocks forming to the late Quaternary. For additional that will remain unknown because they (conglomerate, sandstone, and mudrock) information on the geology of Egypt have been destroyed by urban growth, plus some limestone. The thickest and see Said (1990) and Tawadros (2001), modern quarrying, or natural weather- most areally extensive of these deposits is and for a non-technical introduction see ing and erosion. Moreover, the database the Nubia Group (or Sandstone), which Sampsell (2003). does not include quarries earlier than the dates to the latter part of the Cretaceous Late Predynastic Period, such as those of period and was deposited in shallow- Paleolithic and Neolithic age for tools marine to mainly fluvial environments. Ancient Egyptian quarries made from chert (flint) and silicified From the Late Cretaceous through the database sandstone (quartzite). Eocene epoch of the Tertiary period, The authors’ publications and other most of Egypt was under a shallow sea Just over 200 ancient quarries are known selected sources on specific Egyptian and accumulating carbonate sediments from Egypt, and these range in age from quarries and their stones are provided in that are best represented today by the the Late Predynastic to the Late Roman the bibliography. Other useful sources various Eocene limestone formations. Period, a span of about 3500 years (see of information include Lucas (1962, Beginning in the Oligocene epoch and Table 2 for the chronology of ancient p. 50–74, 386–428), De Putter and continuing through the Quaternary pe- Egypt). The attached map shows their Karlshausen (1992), and Klemm and riod, most of Egypt was above sea level distribution and provides, on the back, Klemm (1993, 2008). See Figures 10 and once again receiving predominantly the names and coordinates of the quarry and 11 for images of selected ancient siliciclastic sediments. localities as well as their stone types and quarry stones. The mid-Tertiary uplift of Egypt, general ages. Detailed plans of several which initiated the return of siliciclastic of the larger, more important quarries sedimentation, was caused by the open- (and the associated quarry landscapes) Sources and uses of stone ing of the Red Sea, a plate tectonic rifting are provided in Figures 7–8, 19, 21–22, in ancient Egypt event that separated the Arabian Penin- 26, 28 and 32. Nearly all quarries, ex- sula from the African landmass, begin- cept those now under Lake Nasser, were Building stones ning about 30 Ma. As a consequence located in the field by the authors. Their Limestone and sandstone were the main of this rifting, the crystalline basement latitudes and longitudes, as reported building stones of ancient Egypt (Fig- complex was pushed up to form the Red here, are those determined from Google ures 1–10). From Early Dynastic times Sea Hills, a south-to-north flowing pa- Earth satellite images (www.GoogleE- onward, limestone was the material of leo-Nile river developed along a fracture arth.com). The workings for most of the choice within the limestone region for zone west of the Red Sea Hills, magmatic quarries are visible on these images, but pyramids, mastaba tombs, and temples.
Recommended publications
  • Crustal Structure of the Nile Delta: Interpretation of Seismic-Constrained Satellite-Based Gravity Data
    remote sensing Article Crustal Structure of the Nile Delta: Interpretation of Seismic-Constrained Satellite-Based Gravity Data Soha Hassan 1,2, Mohamed Sultan 1,*, Mohamed Sobh 2,3, Mohamed S. Elhebiry 1,4 , Khaled Zahran 2, Abdelaziz Abdeldayem 5, Elsayed Issawy 2 and Samir Kamh 5 1 Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI 49009, USA; [email protected] (S.H.); [email protected] (M.S.E.) 2 Department of Earth-Geodynamics, National Research Institute of Astronomy and Geophysics (NRIAG), Helwan 11421, Egypt; [email protected] (M.S.); [email protected] (K.Z.); [email protected] (E.I.) 3 Institute of Geophysics and Geoinformatics, TU Bergakademie Freiberg, 09596 Freiberg, Germany 4 Department of Geology, Al-Azhar University, Cairo 11884, Egypt 5 Department of Geology, Tanta University, Tanta 31527, Egypt; [email protected] (A.A.); [email protected] (S.K.) * Correspondence: [email protected] Abstract: Interpretations of the tectonic setting of the Nile Delta of Egypt and its offshore extension are challenged by the thick sedimentary cover that conceals the underlying structures and by the paucity of deep seismic data and boreholes. A crustal thickness model, constrained by available seismic and geological data, was constructed for the Nile Delta by inversion of satellite gravity data (GOCO06s), and a two-dimensional (2D) forward density model was generated along the Delta’s entire length. Modelling results reveal the following: (1) the Nile Delta is formed of two distinctive Citation: Hassan, S.; Sultan, M.; crustal units: the Southern Delta Block (SDB) and the Northern Delta Basin (NDB) separated by a Sobh, M.; Elhebiry, M.S.; Zahran, K.; hinge zone, a feature widely reported from passive margin settings; (2) the SDB is characterized by an Abdeldayem, A.; Issawy, E.; Kamh, S.
    [Show full text]
  • The Corvus, the Roman Boarding Device
    Wright State University CORE Scholar Classics Ancient Science Fair Religion, Philosophy, and Classics Spring 2020 The Corvus, the Roman Boarding Device Jacob Stickel Wright State University - Main Campus, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://corescholar.libraries.wright.edu/ancient_science_fair Part of the Ancient History, Greek and Roman through Late Antiquity Commons, History of Science, Technology, and Medicine Commons, and the Military History Commons Repository Citation Stickel , J. (2020). The Corvus, the Roman Boarding Device. Dayton, Ohio. This Presentation is brought to you for free and open access by the Religion, Philosophy, and Classics at CORE Scholar. It has been accepted for inclusion in Classics Ancient Science Fair by an authorized administrator of CORE Scholar. For more information, please contact [email protected]. A philological examination of Eratosthenes’ calculation of Earth’s circumference Kelly Staver1 1 Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio, U.S.A. Introduction Errors in Eratosthenes ’ Assumptions Historical Inconsistencies of Eratosthenes’ Final Result • A Greek mathematician named Eratosthenes calculated an accurate measurement Two of Eratosthene’s five assumtpions are either mistaken or questionable at • Cleomedes and John Philophus state Eratosthenes’ result was 250,000, whereas of the Earth’s circumference, that being 250,000 stades or close to Earth’s actual best: many others such as Vitruvius, Martianus Capella, Strabo, and many others state circumference of 40,120 km,¹ in Hellenistic Alexandria, Egypt circa 240 B.C.E.² • Assumption (1) is incorrect. The longitudinal difference between it was 252,000 stades.¹⁴ • To do this, Eratosthenes’ utilized the distance between Alexandria and Syene and Syene and Alexandria is about 3 degrees.⁶ • Benefits of 252,000 stades: gnomon measurements taken in Syene and Alexandria at noon on the summer • Assumption (2) is questionable since we do not know how long a • Yields a clean 700 stades per circular degree.¹⁵ solstice.³ stadion is.
    [Show full text]
  • The Cradle of Pyramids.Wps
    The cradle of pyramids in satellite images Amelia Carolina Sparavigna Dipartimento di Fisica, Politecnico di Torino, Torino, Italy We propose the use of image processing to enhance the Google Maps of some archaeological areas of Egypt. In particular we analyse that place which is considered the cradle of pyramids, where it was announced the discovery of a new pyramid by means of an infrared remote sensing. Saqqara and Dahshur are burial places of the ancient Egypt. Saqqara was the necropolis of Memphis, the ancient capital of the Lower Egypt. This place has many pyramids, including the well-known step pyramid of Djoser, and several mastabas. As told in Wikipedia, 16 Egyptian kings built pyramids there and the high officials added their tombs during the entire pharaonic period [1]. The necropolis remained an important complex for non-royal burials and cult ceremonies till the Roman times. Dahshur is another royal necropolis located in the desert on the west bank of the Nile [2]. The place is well-known for several pyramids, two of which are among the oldest and best preserved in Egypt. Therefore this site can be properly considered as the cradle of Egyptian pyramids [3]. Figure 1 shows the Djoser pyramid and the Great Enclosure at Saqqara. The two images have been obtained from Google Maps after an image processing with two programs, AstroFracTool, based on the calculus of the fractional gradient, and the wavelet filtering of Iris, as discussed in Ref.4. The reader can compare the images with the original Google Maps, using the coordinates given in the figure [5].
    [Show full text]
  • A Window Into Paleocene to Early Eocene Depositional History in Egypt Basedoncoccolithstratigraphy
    The Dababiya Core: A window into Paleocene to Early Eocene depositional history in Egypt basedoncoccolithstratigraphy Marie-Pierre Aubry1 and Rehab Salem1,2 1Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Rutgers University, 610 Taylor Road, NJ 08854-8066, USA email: [email protected] 2Geology Department, Faculty of Science, Tanta University, 31527, Tanta, Egypt [email protected] ABSTRACT: The composite Paleocene-lower Eocene Dababiya section recovered in the Dababiya Quarry core and accessible in out- crop in the Dababiya Quarry exhibits an unexpected contrast in thickness between the Lower Eocene succession (~Esna Shales) and the Paleocene one (~Dakhla Shales and Tarawan Chalk). We investigate the significance of this contrast by reviewing calcareous nannofossil stratigraphic studies performed on sections throughout Egypt. We show that a regional pattern occurs, and distinguish six areas—Nile Valley, Eastern Desert and western Sinai, Central and eastern Sinai, northern Egypt and Western Desert. Based on patterns related to thicknesses of selected lithobiostratigraphic intervals and distribution of main stratigraphic gaps, we propose that the differences in the stratigraphic architecture between these regions result from differential latest Paleocene and Early Eocene subsidence following intense Middle to Late Paleocene tectonic activity in the Syrian Arc folds as a result of the closure of the Neo-Tethys. INTRODUCTION view of coccolithophore studies in Egypt since their inception During the Late Cretaceous and Early Paleogene Egypt was (1968). Coccolith-bearing sedimentary rocks as old as part of a vast epicontinental shelf at the edge of the southern Cenomanian outcrop in central Sinai (Thamed area; Bauer et al. Tethys (text-fig. 1). Bounded by the Arabian-Nubian craton to 2001; Faris and Abu Shama 2003).
    [Show full text]
  • Cambridge Archaeological Journal 15:2, 2005
    Location of the Old Kingdom Pyramids in Egypt Miroslav Bârta The principal factors influencing the location of the Old Kingdom pyramids in Egypt are reconsidered. The decisive factors influencing their distribution over an area of c. eighty kilometres were essentially of economic, géomorphologie, socio-political and unavoidably also of religious nature. Primary importance is to be attributed to the existence of the Old Kingdom capital of Egypt, Memphis, which was a central place with regard to the Old Kingdom pyramid fields. Its economic potential and primacy in the largely redistribution- driven state economy sustained construction of the vast majority of the pyramid complexes in its vicinity. The location of the remaining number of the Old Kingdom pyramids, including many of the largest ever built, is explained using primarily archaeological evidence. It is claimed that the major factors influencing their location lie in the sphere of general trends governing ancient Egyptian society of the period. For millennia, megaliths and monumental arts were pyramids see Edwards 1993; Fakhry 1961; Hawass commissioned by the local chieftains and later by the 2003; Lehner 1997; Stadelmann 1985; 1990; Vallogia kings of Egypt. The ideological reasons connected 2001; Verner 2002; Dodson 2003). The reasons that may with the construction and symbolism of the pyra­ be put forward to explain their location and arrange­ mids were manifold, and in most cases obvious: the ment are numerous but may be divided into two basic manifestation of power, status and supremacy over groups: practical and religious. It will be argued that the territory and population, the connection with the whereas the general pattern in the distribution of the sacred world and the unlimited authority of the rulers pyramid sites may be due mainly to practical reasons, (O'Connor & Silverman 1995).
    [Show full text]
  • Cleopatra II and III: the Queens of Ptolemy VI and VIII As Guarantors of Kingship and Rivals for Power
    Originalveröffentlichung in: Andrea Jördens, Joachim Friedrich Quack (Hg.), Ägypten zwischen innerem Zwist und äußerem Druck. Die Zeit Ptolemaios’ VI. bis VIII. Internationales Symposion Heidelberg 16.-19.9.2007 (Philippika 45), Wiesbaden 2011, S. 58–76 Cleopatra II and III: The queens of Ptolemy VI and VIII as guarantors of kingship and rivals for power Martina Minas-Nerpel Introduction The second half of the Ptolemaic period was marked by power struggles not only among the male rulers of the dynasty, but also among its female members. Starting with Arsinoe II, the Ptolemaic queens had always been powerful and strong-willed and had been a decisive factor in domestic policy. From the death of Ptolemy V Epiphanes onwards, the queens controlled the political developments in Egypt to a still greater extent. Cleopatra II and especially Cleopatra III became all-dominant, in politics and in the ruler-cult, and they were often depicted in Egyptian temple- reliefs—more often than any of her dynastic predecessors and successors. Mother and/or daughter reigned with Ptolemy VI Philometor to Ptolemy X Alexander I, from 175 to 101 BC, that is, for a quarter of the entire Ptolemaic period. Egyptian queenship was complementary to kingship, both in dynastic and Ptolemaic Egypt: No queen could exist without a king, but at the same time the queen was a necessary component of kingship. According to Lana Troy, the pattern of Egyptian queenship “reflects the interaction of male and female as dualistic elements of the creative dynamics ”.1 The king and the queen functioned as the basic duality through which regeneration of the creative power of the kingship was accomplished.
    [Show full text]
  • Temples and Tombs Treasures of Egyptian Art from the British Museum
    Temples and Tombs Treasures of Egyptian Art from The British Museum Resource for Educators this is max size of image at 200 dpi; the sil is low res and for the comp only. if approved, needs to be redone carefully American Federation of Arts Temples and Tombs Treasures of Egyptian Art from The British Museum Resource for Educators American Federation of Arts © 2006 American Federation of Arts Temples and Tombs: Treasures of Egyptian Art from the British Museum is organized by the American Federation of Arts and The British Museum. All materials included in this resource may be reproduced for educational American Federation of Arts purposes. 212.988.7700 800.232.0270 The AFA is a nonprofit institution that organizes art exhibitions for presen- www.afaweb.org tation in museums around the world, publishes exhibition catalogues, and interim address: develops education programs. 122 East 42nd Street, Suite 1514 New York, NY 10168 after April 1, 2007: 305 East 47th Street New York, NY 10017 Please direct questions about this resource to: Suzanne Elder Burke Director of Education American Federation of Arts 212.988.7700 x26 [email protected] Exhibition Itinerary to Date Oklahoma City Museum of Art Oklahoma City, Oklahoma September 7–November 26, 2006 The Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens Jacksonville, Florida December 22, 2006–March 18, 2007 North Carolina Museum of Art Raleigh, North Carolina April 15–July 8, 2007 Albuquerque Museum of Art and History Albuquerque, New Mexico November 16, 2007–February 10, 2008 Fresno Metropolitan Museum of Art, History and Science Fresno, California March 7–June 1, 2008 Design/Production: Susan E.
    [Show full text]
  • International Selection Panel Traveler's Guide
    INTERNATIONAL SELECTION PANEL MARCH 13-15, 2019 TRAVELER’S GUIDE You are coming to EGYPT, and we are looking forward to hosting you in our country. We partnered up with Excel Travel Agency to give you special packages if you wish to travel around Egypt, or do a day tour of Cairo and Alexandria, before or after the ISP. The following packages are only suggested itineraries and are not limited to the dates and places included herein. You can tailor a trip with Excel Travel by contacting them directly (contact information on the last page). A designated contact person at the company for Endeavor guests has been already assigned to make your stay more special. TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS: The Destinations • Egypt • Cairo • Journey of The Pharaohs: Luxor & Aswan • Red Sea Authentic Escape: Hurghada, Sahl Hasheesh and Sharm El Sheikh Must-See Spots in: Cairo, Alexandria, Luxor, Aswan & Sharm El Sheikh Proposed One-Day Excursions Recommended Trips • Nile Cruise • Sahl Hasheesh • Sharm El Sheikh Services in Cairo • Meet & Assist, Lounges & Visa • Airport Transfer Contact Details THE DESTINATIONS EGYPT Egypt, the incredible and diverse country, has one of a few age-old civilizations and is the home of two of the ancient wonders of the world. The Ancient Egyptian civilization developed along the Nile River more than 7000 years ago. It is recognizable for its temples, hieroglyphs, mummies, and above all, the Pyramids. Apart from visiting and seeing the ancient temples and artefacts of ancient Egypt, there is also a lot to see in each city. Each city in Egypt has its own charm and its own history, culture, activities.
    [Show full text]
  • Nubian Scenes of Protection from Faras As an Aid to Dating 44 STEFAN JAKOBIELSKI
    CENTRE D’ARCHÉOLOGIE MÉDITERRANÉENNE DE L’ACADÉMIE POLONAISE DES SCIENCES ÉTUDES et TRAVAUX XXI 2007 STEFAN JAKOBIELSKI Nubian Scenes of Protection from Faras as an Aid to Dating 44 STEFAN JAKOBIELSKI A feature which is characteristic only of Nubian art (and which evolved typologically in specifi c periods) is the manner of depicting local dignitaries protected by holy fi gures,1 which apart of its iconographic and historic values, can be used as an aid to dating. Of great assistance here is the known sequence of bishops of Pachoras,2 which allows the individual schemes to be sorted in chronological order. Although this type of representation had its precursors both in Coptic and early Byzantine designs,3 in Christian art it was only in Nubia that it endured and became a particularly popular theme of murals from the ninth century up to the Terminal Christian Period. Scenes depicting Nubian dignitaries pro- tected by holy fi gures do not feature in Faras Cathedral’s original eight century mural programme. The oldest known representation associated with this atelier comes from Abdalla-n Irqi4 and appears most closely related in terms of technique to Faras murals representing archangels (Michael – Field Inv. No. 1155 and in the one of scene of Three Youths in the Fiery Furnace – Field Inv. No. a80).6 It depicts an archangel with his right 1 The fi rst attempt at establishing a typology of these representations (see: M. DE GROOTH, Mögliche Ein- fl üsse auf die nubische Protektionsgebärde, in: N. JANSMA and M. DE GROOTH, Zwei Beiträge zur Ikonographie der nubischen Kunst, pp.
    [Show full text]
  • Mints – MISR NATIONAL TRANSPORT STUDY
    No. TRANSPORT PLANNING AUTHORITY MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT THE ARAB REPUBLIC OF EGYPT MiNTS – MISR NATIONAL TRANSPORT STUDY THE COMPREHENSIVE STUDY ON THE MASTER PLAN FOR NATIONWIDE TRANSPORT SYSTEM IN THE ARAB REPUBLIC OF EGYPT FINAL REPORT TECHNICAL REPORT 11 TRANSPORT SURVEY FINDINGS March 2012 JAPAN INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION AGENCY ORIENTAL CONSULTANTS CO., LTD. ALMEC CORPORATION EID KATAHIRA & ENGINEERS INTERNATIONAL JR - 12 039 No. TRANSPORT PLANNING AUTHORITY MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT THE ARAB REPUBLIC OF EGYPT MiNTS – MISR NATIONAL TRANSPORT STUDY THE COMPREHENSIVE STUDY ON THE MASTER PLAN FOR NATIONWIDE TRANSPORT SYSTEM IN THE ARAB REPUBLIC OF EGYPT FINAL REPORT TECHNICAL REPORT 11 TRANSPORT SURVEY FINDINGS March 2012 JAPAN INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION AGENCY ORIENTAL CONSULTANTS CO., LTD. ALMEC CORPORATION EID KATAHIRA & ENGINEERS INTERNATIONAL JR - 12 039 USD1.00 = EGP5.96 USD1.00 = JPY77.91 (Exchange rate of January 2012) MiNTS: Misr National Transport Study Technical Report 11 TABLE OF CONTENTS Item Page CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION..........................................................................................................................1-1 1.1 BACKGROUND...................................................................................................................................1-1 1.2 THE MINTS FRAMEWORK ................................................................................................................1-1 1.2.1 Study Scope and Objectives .........................................................................................................1-1
    [Show full text]
  • Amarna Period Down to the Opening of Sety I's Reign
    oi.uchicago.edu STUDIES IN ANCIENT ORIENTAL CIVILIZATION * NO.42 THE ORIENTAL INSTITUTE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO Thomas A. Holland * Editor with the assistance of Thomas G. Urban oi.uchicago.edu oi.uchicago.edu Internet publication of this work was made possible with the generous support of Misty and Lewis Gruber THE ROAD TO KADESH A HISTORICAL INTERPRETATION OF THE BATTLE RELIEFS OF KING SETY I AT KARNAK SECOND EDITION REVISED WILLIAM J. MURNANE THE ORIENTAL INSTITUTE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO STUDIES IN ANCIENT ORIENTAL CIVILIZATION . NO.42 CHICAGO * ILLINOIS oi.uchicago.edu Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 90-63725 ISBN: 0-918986-67-2 ISSN: 0081-7554 The Oriental Institute, Chicago © 1985, 1990 by The University of Chicago. All rights reserved. Published 1990. Printed in the United States of America. oi.uchicago.edu TABLE OF CONTENTS List of M aps ................................ ................................. ................................. vi Preface to the Second Edition ................................................................................................. vii Preface to the First Edition ................................................................................................. ix List of Bibliographic Abbreviations ..................................... ....................... xi Chapter 1. Egypt's Relations with Hatti From the Amarna Period Down to the Opening of Sety I's Reign ...................................................................... ......................... 1 The Clash of Empires
    [Show full text]
  • Abu Simbel Solar Alignment 1
    Abu Simbel Solar Alignment 1 Abu Simbel was built by Pharaoh Rameses II between 1279 and 1213 B.C to celebrate his domination of Nubia, and his piety to the gods, principally Amun-Re, Ra- Horakhty and Ptah, as well as his own deification. It is located 250 kilometers southeast of the city of Aswan. The original temple was positioned on the bank of the Nile, but it was raised up 300 meters by an international relocation project supported by UNESDO. This mammoth engineering effort was undertaken between 1964 and 1968 to prevent the flooding of the temple by the rising waters of Lake Nasser caused by the new Aswan High Dam. The satellite photo above, and on the next page, shows the entrance walkway ramp, and the area on the face of the cliff where the four giant statues of Ramses II are positioned. The interior of the temple extends to the left of the statuary and is hidden beneath the huge man-made berm to the left of the photograph. The 'Visitor Center' buildings can be seen as the three squares near the left-hand edge of the photo. The horizontal line in the upper right corner represents a distance of 50 meters, and the circle indicates the major compass directions clockwise from the top (north) as east, south and west. The interior of the temple is inside the sandstone cliff in the form of a man- made cave cut out of the rock. It consists of a series of halls and rooms extending back a total of 56 meters (185 feet) from the entrance.
    [Show full text]