Side-lock of Youth Prince Amunherkhopshef New Kingdom, 20th Dynasty, c. 1186–1155 B.C. Tomb of Amunherkhopshef (QV55), Valley of Queens, West bank, Luxor. Prince Amunherkhopshef was the eldest son (and heir) of Ramesses III and Isis Ta-Hemdjert. The Prince died at approximately 15 years of age, likely during the 30th year of Ramesses’ reign. Photograph by...
Statue of Niankh-pepi This small, wooden standing statue of Niankh-pepi is a unique masterpiece of art, which portrays a porter advancing and carrying a basket on his back. The basket is decorated and fitted with a support used when resting it on the ground. The two white straps are used to hold it over the...
Most holidays and festivals in Egypt are determined by the Islamic calendar; however, several Coptic Christian holidays are widely celebrated. For instance, Sham Al-Nessim is celebrated on Coptic Easter. This holiday itself, however, has Pharaonic origins as a celebration of the arrival of spring. The Islamic calendar is a lunar-based calendar so Islamic holidays shift...
Egyptian food is one of the world’s most authentic and delicious foods. Within a combination of elements from across the Middle East and North Africa, as well as Greece and France, reflecting the diverse influences that Egyptians have had throughout its history, Egyptian chefs often put their spin on their version of the most beloved...
Deir al-Bahari The celebrated temple of Hatshepsut (c.1473–1458 BC), the queen who became Pharaoh, is located here, in Deir al-Bahari, on the west bank of Luxor. Made up of three man-made terraces that gradually rise up toward the sheer cliff face, this structure is truly a sight to behold. The site of Deir al-Bahari was...
Mudawara Mountain, where stargazing and camping are few options Only 90 km from the capital city of Cairo, an hour and 15 minutes drive, with a year round moderate weather, is one of Egypt’s 7 oases, Al Fayoum. Home to several attractions from different eras from Pharaonic, Greco-Roman, Coptic and Islamic, to sand dunes, palm...
Tomb of Sety I (KV17) The tomb of Sety I is one of the longest, deepest, and most beautifully decorated tombs in the Valley of the Kings. Sety I (c.1294–1279 BC) was the second king of the Nineteenth Dynasty, and father of Ramesses II (the Great). His tomb, number 17 in the Valley of the...
Abu Simbel The Great Temple of Abu Simbel, in Nubia near Egypt’s southern border, is among the most awe-inspiring monuments of Egypt. It was cut into the living rock by King Ramses II (the Great) of the Nineteenth Dynasty, around 1264 BC. The temple is most well-known for the four imposing seated colossal statues that...
Al-Azhar Mosque Al-Azhar Mosque known simply in Egypt as al-Azhar, is an Egyptian mosque in Islamic Cairo. Al-Mu’izz li-Din Allah of the Fatimid dynasty commissioned its construction for the newly established capital city in 970. Its name is usually thought to derive from az-Zahrāʾ (meaning “the shining one”), a title given to Fatimah. It was...