If you have arrived here looking for the Portal page it is at www.andreabyrnes.co.uk while the Predynastic page is at www.predynastic.com
 

Dear All

This website is a photographic record of the British Museum tour to Cairo, the Faiyum, the Western and Eastern Deserts and Luxor in October 2002.   I hate to say it, but it represents a very small proportion of the photos I took :-) The site was built on the off-chance that the others who took the tour would like to see some of the output, but I hope that anyone looking for images of the sites mentioned on these pages will find it of some use.

I have added Okasha’s notes below (with his kind permission) for reference - I have hyper-linked his notes to the relevant pages, so specific places and sites should be easy to find.  With a BIG thanks to Okasha and Tarek for making the holiday so special.

Small semi-technical note: this site is configured for a broadband connection.  I have not tested it on a dial-up, but I suspect that it will take a long time for the pictures to load.  There is not much else I can do to speed that up, I’m afraid.

Andrea
xx

The British Museum Travellers in the Western Desert and Thebes

29^th Sept.-14^th Oct. 2002 by Okasha El Daly

Nine of us, an Ennead, met at Heathrow on September 29^th for what turned out to be a most rewarding experience for me. Perhaps enduring for two hours the experience of EgyptAir changing tyres helped to prepare some of us for the more exciting, but much speedier, change of tyres in the middle of wilderness on our way to Bahariya.

Day 1: 29^th Sept^{. London/Cairo.} Cairo for a 2-night stay at the feet of the pyramids in Mena House Garden Hotel.

Day 2: 30^th Sept. Giza. Morning visit in the area of the Great Pyramid of Khufu, its neighbouring tomb of Senjem Ib Inti and his family, who all held the title, Minister of All Royal Public Works in the 5^th and 6^th dynasties. Then to the Burial Chamber of Queen Hetep Heres (Mother of King Khufu; her name means “Peace Upon Her”).   We later saw its material on display in the Egyptian Museum. Then to the nearby tomb of Queen Meres Ankh III, wife of King Khafra of the second pyramid (her name means “She Loves Life”). Its entrance gives the time it took to prepare her body for burial as 273 days. Then to the Valley Temple of King Khafra and the Sphinx.
Most rewarding was our visit to the Workmen’s Village excavated recently by Dr Zahi Hawas and his colleagues where we saw where the builders of the pyramids lived and were buried. Personally I was very thrilled by the curses on the door of one tomb, - crocodiles, scorpions and lions. Afternoon spent in the Egyptian Museum   looking at some of its treasures, including those from the tomb of Tutankhamun and the Mummy Gallery.

Day 3: 1^st Oct. Fayyum. Drove to the Fayyum Oasis - a Nile-fed desert depression, in antiquity a major agricultural province - to inspect Middle Kingdom and Graeco-Roman sites. First we visited the Museum of Kom Oshim and  the ancient site of Karanis where we saw the temple of two local forms of  the crocodile god Sobek built during 1^st century AD. Then the Roman baths and mummification tables on our way to the northern temple of another form of the crocodile god, Suchos, associated with Amon-Zeus and Isis built in the 1^st century BC or perhaps earlier. 
On to the City of Fayyum, Crocodilopolis,  for tea and a look at the Water Wheels.
Then drove to Hawara, where we visited the pyramid of King Amenemhat III and its mortuary temple, and the now-ruined "Labyrinth" with a small altar for crocodiles. The British archaeologist Petrie, excavating at Hawara between 1888-1910, found the famous collection of Romano-Egyptian “Fayyum Portraits” many of which are now in the Petrie Museum at the UCL, London (a small museum but with vision and pioneering ideas, well worth several visits).
On our way to the hotel we stopped by the unique Obelisk of King Senusert I with its oval rather than pointed top. Overnight by Lake Qarun at Hotel Auberg.

Day 4: 2^nd Oct. Bahariya. First we did a detour to Tufa to visit the first established Egyptian Field School for training young archaeologists, which offers a glimmer of hope for creating trained Egyptians capable of excavating and publishing their own heritage.  
Then to Wadi Al-Rayan with its waterfall, the only one in Egypt.  
The road took us all the way back to the outskirts of  Cairo, then across the Sahara to Bahariya Oasis for a 2 night stay in Bawiti, the main centre of Bahariya,  at International Hot Springs Hotel (Peter’s Hotel). Free afternoon after the longest distance travel of our trip (more than 400 km in total). Special toast for Susan’ Birthday before my evening talk.

Day 5: 3^rd Oct. Bahariya. First visited the local museum to see the mummies of the Golden Valley first discovered by the local archaeologist, and now under excavation by Dr. Zahi Hawas and his team from the Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities. Then a short distance east of Bawiti to Qarat Qasr Selim to visit the decorated rock tombs of the local merchant Jed Amon Iw-ef Ankh (the name means “Amon Says He Will Live”) and that of his son Bannentiu, both dating to the reign of King Amasis, 26th dynasty (known also as Saitic Period).  In the first tomb the unusual figure of Imsti, one of the four sons of Horus depicted as a female. The colours and design of these tombs are remarkable. Then to Ain Al-Mftillah where we first visited two of the four chapels of Amasis from the 26th dynasty. (Electricity was off and it was rather dark). The first chapel dedicated to several deities by the Second Priest of Amon and afterwards Mayor of the Oasis “Jed Khons Iw-ef Ankh”. The other  dedicated by the Priest “Wah Ib Ra Nefer”.
Then to the ruined Temple of Alexander the Great at Qasr Al-Megysba.  
Next to visit the roofless and badly ruined Tomb of Amenhotep, Mayor of the Oasis in the 19^th dynasty. 
On our way back to Bawiti we stopped by Qarat Al-Fararji (Mound of the Chickens) where we looked at the catacombs of the Ibis, symbol of the god Thoth.
Afternoon visits to the local ethnographic and sculpture museums of the old lady and her son, who gave us tea in his new museum. Then we drove through the villages of Al-Aguz and Mandisha to Bir Ghaba (hot mineral spring) where we had tea and fresh dates. An attempt to watch the sunset atop the mountain.   
With special dinner a local musical group which Peter is trying to encourage.

Day 6: 4^th Oct. Farafra. Heading south to Farafra ca 200 km away, we first stopped after 6 km by the site of the Valley of the Golden Mummies. Then to the early Christian basilica at Ain el-Hayez currently under restoration, and the nearby Roman fort  whose guard Ramzi Yousif  invited us to visit his extended family homestead in a small oasis, for tea, more fresh dates and handfuls of mint, before showing us around his garden, served by a Roman well. Nice family, with grandmother very much the hostess.
Then on to and through the White Desert with its splendid rock formations arriving at Farafra for lunch and overnight at the Badiat Al-Farafra.  In the afternoon we looked around Qasr el-Farafra, once the site of an impressive Roman fortress, followed by a trip to the water spring till the sunset.

Day 7: 5^th Oct. Dakhla. Travelled to Dakhla Oasis ca 200 km away, visiting on our way Gebel Al-Muzawaqa with its intriguingly decorated tombs of Pedubastis and Petosiris (closed for restoration) and continued west to the nearby Roman-period temple of Deir Al-Hagar dedicated to Amun of Thebes, his wife Mut and their son Khons. 
P.M.: Arrived at our hotel Mut III on the outskirt of the town Mut, the capital of Dakhla, for an overnight stay. Afternoon drive to Asmant Al-Kharab (11 km east of Mut) to the site of ancient Kellis to see the ruins of the temple of the lion-god Tutu and of Romano-Byzantine houses and churches where many Gnostic papyri and codices have been found and where followers of Mani established a centre of worship. Evening visit to the Old Mut accompanied by a young local who showed us around his now deserted family house on the square which his grandmother had told him dated back to the Romans!

 Day 8: 6^th Oct. To Kharga. We headed east to Kharga Oasis 200 km away. On the way out of Dakhla we visit the mastaba tombs of the governors at Qila el-Dabba where we saw the Old Kingdom necropolis and especially the tomb of Khentka, the Governor of the Oasis in the reign of King Pepi II, 6^th dynasty, and recently restored by the French archaeological Mission.
Then we went to Ezbet Bashendi where we first visited the interior of the Roman tomb converted into a burial chamber for a medieval Muslim saint. Next to which we visited the tomb of Kitinos/Qitinos (1st century BC).
Then a short drive to the foundations of the Old Kingdom town at Ain Asil also from the 6^th dynasty.
Arriving Kharga for lunch and 2 night stay at Pioneer Hotel. Afternoon visit to the large new Museum of the New Valley where we saw many of the objects that came from tombs and sites already visited.  

Day 9: 7^th Oct. Kharga.
Accompanied by Mansour Othman, the local archaeologist. First we made a very brief stop by the local craft centre (weaving and pottery). Then headed to the site of Qasr Al-Labeka, 40 km to the east of Kharga on Darb Al-Arbain. This is a vast complex, found and cleaned by Mansour a few years ago but not yet fully explored or published, where he first showed us the 3^rd century church/sanctuary of Pyris, originally a small temple perhaps dedicated to Hercules, and the adjoining tombs. Then the Roman Fortress. Then he explained to us the aqueduct systems which channelled the mountain spring water into this area.  We saw and talked to a fellah climbing up from cleaning his well. Some of the land belonged to his grandfather and he is attempting to bring it back into agricultural use.
Then to the site of the Roman temple/fortress of Al-Deir with its hundreds of graffiti from all periods including those left by British solders stationed there last century. Nearby we stopped at the mountain of the fossils.
Afternoon visit with Mansour to the most important and best preserved temple in the Western Desert  known as Hibis, dedicated to Amun and Osiris, and built over the centuries stretching from Darius the Great to the Roman era. Sadly it was all under scaffolding for restoration and possible relocation, due to instability of the ground below.
Then a short drive to the Roman/Christian necropolis of Al-Bagawat, where over 260 domed brick chapels, some decorated, were constructed above family tombs. They date from the 4^th – 7^th centuries. We visited the two small chapels decorated with the biblical stories known as the Chapel of Exodus and the Chapel of Peace.  Then drove a short distance to the Monastery of Al-Kashif. This site dates back to Pharaonic times and remained in use until late medieval period when it became the residence of the official tax collector. It was a home to Christian hermits and hostel for travellers perhaps dating to the 6^th century.  A short distance away, Mansour showed us his excavation at Ain Zaaf with its vast ruined monastery and churches.  As the day draw to its end, we headed to the Temple of Al-Nadoura built under Hadrian and Antoninus Pius where we enjoyed our last sunset in the Western Desert.

Day 10: 8^th Oct. Baris, Luxor. Early drive to the temple of Qasr Al-Ghweita dedicated like its sister Hibis Temple to the Theban Triad by the Persian king Darius I  and later by Ptolemaic kings.
On the way to Baris I pointed out the New Baris built by the late Egyptian architect Hassan Fathi as a model for building with local materials in harmony with the local environment. Then through the Oasis of Baris to visit the temple-fortress of Qasr Al-Dush, close to the Darb Al-Arbain - the "forty day" trade road leading south to the Sudanese province of Darfur. This was the last frontier fortress. The temple was dedicated to Serapis and Isis by the Roman Emperors Domitian, Trajan and Hadrian. It has some unique features at its rear. In 1989, The French archaeological mission discovered at the site a wonderful gold treasure which included a crown, bracelets and plaques dating to the Roman period.    After a tea stop at Baris we headed east to Luxor. Picnic lunch on the way. After driving a total of 400 km we arrived Luxor early afternoon at Sonesta St George Hotel for 6 nights stay.

Day 11: 9^th Oct. Luxor. We visited the vast complex of temples at Karnak, including the Great Temple of Amun-Ra, the Open Air Museum with its fine reliefs on the kiosk of Senuseret I and from the Red chapel of Queen Hatshepsut, White Chapels of Amenhotep I and Thutmosis IV. Also the temple of Ptah.  Evening visit to  the Temple of Luxor.

Day 12: 10^th Oct. Luxor. Drove to the Theban West Bank. First we were greeted by Ahmad Radi, a villager who showed us round the new Qurnaa village, designed by Hassan Fathi.  Then to the mortuary temple of Queen Hatshepsut at Deir el-Bahari where we saw the transport of obelisks on the first terrace, left. On the second terrace, left side , the journey to Punt and right side, the story of Hatshepsut’s divine conception/origin with the most elegant pregnant Queen Mother, Ahmose. Then to the West Valley (Valley of the Baboons) where we enjoyed the rarely visited tomb of King Ay, (not often visited) who succeeded Tut Ankh Amon.  Then to the Valley of the Kings where you each visited three tombs of your choice.

Day 13: 11^{th Oct. Luxor-Wadi Hammamat.} Following a brief stop at Qift (ancient Coptos) to view the ruins of the Temple of Min where we saw the chapel dedicated by queen Cleopatra, we travelled deep into the Eastern Desert along the Red Sea caravan route leading to Al-Qusair harbour. Accompanied by the director of archaeology Ahmad Jabir and his assistant Ashraf Mubarak, we made many stops to look at the important hieroglyphic inscriptions and rock art of the Wadi Hammamat left by travellers on personal and official missions from the prehistoric period until now. After a tea break in the local transport caff, we visited the Roman mining camp at Gebel Fawakhir. On the way back to Luxor we visited the Roman temple at Al-Qalaa near Qift. Returned to hotel early afternoon.

Day 14: 12^th Oct. Luxor. Back to West Bank where we visited the vast complex of Medinet Habu dominated by the mortuary temple of king Ramsis III. looking first at the Chapels of the Wife of Amon, the Great Royal Adoratee “Amonirdes”, sister of King Shabaka, 25^th dynasty. The exterior of the eastern wall of the temple is a memorial to the victories of Ramsis III against the Libyans and Asiatics with splendid scenes of naval battles against the so called “Peoples of the Sea”. Adjoining the western side of the temple, is the royal palace.
After a tea break, we visited  the Valley of the Queens where some went to the glorious tomb of Queen Nefetari and some went into the tombs of Prince Amon Her Khepeshef and then to that of his brother Prince Khaemwaset. Then on  to the workmen's village at Deir el-Medina where we looked at the village from above and first visited the beautiful tomb of the workman Pashedu, No. 3 (not often visited), then the tombs of Senjem (No. 1) and Inherkha (No. 359). Free afternoon.

Day 15: 13^{th Oct. Luxor.} Back to West Bank  where we first drove to Malaqata by the back route, (accompanied by a local to dodge the police barriers which had refused us permission the day before) to see the Royal City of Amenhotep III with some coloured plaster remaining on its mud brick walls.
Then visited the tombs of the Nobles, including those of Sennefer (No. 96), Mayor of Thebes under King Amenhotep II (remember its ceiling of grapes);  Rekhmira (No. 100), Vizier under King Thutmosis III (with its unusual design and scenes of foreign tributes and workshops);   Menna (No. 69), Scribe of the Fields of the Lord of the Two Lands under King Thutmosis IV (with its beautiful colours and  agricultural scenes, leisure fishing and  butterflies) and the tomb of Nakht (No. 52), Royal Astronomer and Chief of Granaries under King Thutmosis IV (it is the smallest tomb but famous for its  dancers, fishing and colours).
On way back to the bus some of us stopped by the exhibition of Robert Hay paintings of Qurna put together by Caroline Simpson.
After a cool(er) tea break, visited  the Ramesseum, mortuary temple of Ramesses the Great. We then visited the newly opened site of the mortuary temple of King Merenptah (not often visited) with its many stones from the mortuary temple of King Amenhotep III reused by Merenptah. The site museum was a great joy to visit thanks to the Swiss archaeological mission.  Afternoon free.
As this was our last evening in Luxor, my last talk was followed by a farewell dinner which was a fitting end to a most inspiring trip before flying back to London the following day Oct. 14^th.

To end, let me take this opportunity to repeat my thanks to you for being such a dedicated and interested, and already very knowledgeable,  group with such a passion and desire to understand and appreciate Egypt and its culture. My thanks also to the British Museum for arranging such a complex tour and for inviting me to lead it. Finally to the Egyptian travel agent for their heroic efforts to get us to Wadi Hammamat. And to their drivers Muntasser, Nohsin and Emil. And lastly our generous and able local tour leader Tarek Tawfik for his unfailing hard work to see to whatever we needed.  
Special thanks to my colleagues, Egyptian archaeologists who generously gave us of their time on various occasions. 
I hope this trip will inspire participants to enjoy parts of Egypt they have still to visit, particularly those for whom it was their first visit, and to maintain a long association with the country and its wonderfully rich heritage.

Okasha El Daly

Written by Okasha El Daly © 2002/2003

All images are © Andrea Byrnes 2002/2003 unless otherwise stated