Wadi el Gharbi and Tomb of Herihor

Wadi el Gharbi; a large valley to the south of Wadi el Sikkat and the unfinished tomb of Hatshepsut. In addition to a number of well trodden ancient pathways, connecting this part with surrounding valleys in the Theban Mountains, Wadi el Gharbi contains several textual and pictorial graffiti, ancient excavations with debris heaps, pottery shards, smaller structures of stacked stone, and areas of limestone and flint chippings; all of which indicate some form of ancient activity (tombs, stations, smaller settlement, etc.). Red bricks combined with pottery fragments suggest a continuation of activity also into the Graeco-Roman and early Coptic periods. In spite of local tomb robbers’ insistent attempts, however, no tomb has been found to this day. This fact combined with the valley’s remoteness and rather difficult terrain still leave archaeologists without any firm evidence of why the ancients came here.

 This specific area "Wadi el Gharbi " is of great interest for several reasons as it displays not only royal cartouches and associated pictorial graffiti, but also etched figures expressing worship, and later, more abstract geometrical patterns indicating a continuation of ancient presence in this particular place. 
 Two examples of cartouches providing the name Amenhotep II are found close together .

Contextual carvings show several ducks, a detailed uraeus, a full anthropomorphic figure, and a depiction of a head decorated with the blue crown; the latter suggesting a royal figure in either a cultic or a military position. 
 the royal head with the blue crown may well be connected with another important character, although belonging to a later period. This natural amphitheater was given its archaeological name – "Hérihor" High priest of Amun (1080-1074 BCE).Five hieroglyphic graffiti of Hérihor have been recorded previously, to which we can add another two in a nearby location within the same valley. 

 Hérihor’s background

 Little is known about Hérihor’s background, although he is believed to be of Libyan descent, and before becoming a High priest of Amun, he served Ramses XI as a military officer. Also being as a priest in the Temple of Khonsu at Karnak, Hérihor eventually rose to the position of High priest and assumed the full royal titles towards the end of Ramses XI’s reign, leading to a temporary division of the Two Lands with one ruler in Thebes and another in Tanis. From an archaeologist’s point of view, one of the more interesting facts about Hérihor is that his tomb, interesting facts about Hérihor is that his tomb, together with that of his associate Piankh, has never been found, leading some scholars to believe that a joint tomb is to be found within the valley that holds Hérihor’s name.
 Several additional textual graffiti are connected with the theories of an undiscovered royal tomb in Wadi el Gharbi. For example, there are records of a previously unknown deputy of the Crew, Montuseankh, a workman named Pinudjem, but more importantly, one inscription dates to year 21 of Smendes, theorized to have visited the valley to inspect the tomb of Hérihor and Piank .

 Containing a royal tomb

 Several additional textual graffiti are connected with the theories of an undiscovered royal tomb in Wadi el Gharbi. For example, there are records of a previously unknown deputy of the Crew, Montuseankh, a workman named Pinudjem, but more importantly, one inscription dates to year 21 of Smendes, theorized to have visited the valley to inspect the tomb of Hérihor and Piank
 this valley shows various additional examples of the hieroglyphic sign, which was interpreted by not only H. Carter, but by also some his followers still today as a tomb marker. Most recently, A. Peden emphasises the location of these signs as marking the area of the tomb of Hérihor and Piankh. As said before, however, we consider this sign to represent an offering table, and many of these signs in this valley are placed in a later pictorial context including several pentagrams (all with corresponding carving/etching technique of a rather simple nature). Therefore, we consider these signs to indicate a continuation of ancient presence in the valley rather than connecting them with any royal burial. 
 Containing a royal tomb or not, the importance of the valley cannot be questioned as it documents also the names of the scribes Buteamun, Ankhefenamun and Nebhepe, along with the royal workmen Amun (neb) nesttawynakhte, Nespautytawi, Penhiribtahutnakhte and Dikhonsiry.
 Posted by The Sirius Project .

NEW DISCOVERY IN EGYPT OF THUTMOSESS III TEMPLE NEAR GIZA

The temple is more likely belongs to Thutmose III and an excavation project will start to continue the work in the site.

The discovery is a result of illicit dig by someone under his house. We have to mention that it is not the first attempt to be foiled by the authorities in the same area in the past year. It is the third time th

at we know of. Previous illicit digs produced Middle Kingdom stele and pottery. 

The Tourism and Antiquities police has been working with a committee from Giza Antiquities for 3 days at the site to lower the ground water level and they managed to find 7 stelas, remains of pink granite columns bases as well as a pink granite statue was submerged under the underground water. The statue represents a seated person of 2.5 meters height and the arms are broken of the statue. The statute was moved to Sakkara warehouse for cleaning and restoration.

Pharaohs arrived in Australia before 2500

 
A team of Egyptian scientists specialist in hieroglyphs and pharaonic history succeeded in discovering hieroglyphic inscriptions in Australia, which is likely to have crossed the borders of the Pharaohs and arrived in the Middle East beyond the headwaters of the Nile and were able to discover the new world Arriving to Australia. -
 
the team stressed that the inscriptions that have been discovered in a forest in "Gosford" on the east coast of Australia and it is an original, written in hieroglyphics almost 2,500 years ago.

The experts confirmed that the discovery includes 300 original hieroglyphic inscription covered, including the formulation and method of the ancient Egyptians used to use it. There are some methods used that have not been documented before 2012.

Two Must Attend Events in Egypt this October

Celebrating 110 years on the Discovery of Nefertari’s Tomb in Luxor*

 

In commemoration of the Discovery of Queen Nefertari’s Tomb the civil aviation ministry and the tourism authority in collaboration with the Italian Embassy in Egypt are organizing a 10 days celebration from October 15th till October 25th at the Valley of Queens in Luxor.
Nefertari’s tomb is the largest and most impressive at the Valley of Queens. Queen Nefertari was one of Ramses II’s wives, and one of the best known queens next to Cleopatra, Nefertiti & Hatshepsut. Ramses II has also built a temple next to his in Abu Simbel for his beloved wife.
Other than the 10 days celebration, two photo exhibitions will be hosted at the Luxor Exhibition Center & at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo.
In fact this is one of the best times to visit Luxor, as it’s not steaming hot anymore, and it’s known as the world’s biggest open air museum, so get ready for a trip back in time.
Book here  your cheap flights to Luxor.

Dinning in the Sky in Gouna

 

Do you fear heights? I hope not, because Dinner in the Sky is bringing you for the first time in Egypt a dinning in the sky experience. Don’t think twice, yeah it’s literally in the sky. A professionally flying designed table that allows 22 guests an exceptional and unparalleled experience suspended at a height of 50 meters above the ground. The soft opening and first flight testing is on October 3rd till October 10th, 2014, catered by Movenpick Resort & Spa in Gouna. Hurry up & book your spot now, however don’t get disappointed if you can’t do it this time, there will certainly be another time.
Gouna is a destination that can be visited around the year as the weather & sea water temperature are never too cold to take a dip.
Book here your cheap flights to Hurghada, then take a short ride to Gouna.

 

The longest ruling female in the ancient world "Queen Hatshepsut"

Before she was erased from history, Hatshepsut had been both queen and king of Egypt.

 Hat-who? Was what? We’ve heard of pharaohs and Cleopatra but who was Hatshepsut, how could she be both king and queen of Egypt?

She was king in Egypt’s 18th dynasty, nearly 3,500 years ago. Daughter of King Thutmose I, she married her half-brother (a common practice in Egyptian royal lineage) but as King Thutmose II’s queen, had no power of her own. When he died early in his reign, the crown prince Thutmose III, a mere toddler (not her son) was designated successor.

Hapshetsut was the daughter of a highly successful king; raised in the royal house she may have learned how to play Egypt’s political game expertly. As the highest priestess of the highest god, she may have understood how to pull the religious levers of Egyptian society.

When the child king was to be crowned, Hapshetsut was perfectly positioned to be his “co-regent,” ruling both on his behalf and on her own, a delicate balance. Justifying her rule through divine oracles, she was accepted and installed as king.

She engaged in an immense building program while increasing her empire’s prosperity and memorialized herself in religious texts, statues and temples, first as a woman, later as a man, sometimes with crown or beard, with and without breasts.

 “She had to act like a man, dress like a man, and we don’t have details of this, but she had to present herself as a man. No matter how much she could transcend her femininity and become king, as a woman she was still cognizant of the way the system worked. She knew she had to transform herself, rather than expect the system to mold itself to her.”

Hatshepsut is forgotten because most statues of her were smashed posthumously, and images on temple walls scraped off and substituted, even though her name can still be seen beneath the scrape-offs. We know about her through her remaining texts. And thanks to great detective work done by devoted archeologists over the past 100 years, a number of smashed statues discovered in a pit have been painstakingly reassembled, piece by piece.

by Santa Monica-based author and Egyptologist Kara Cooney in her new book “The Woman Who Would Be King: Hatshepsut’s Rise to Power in Ancient Egypt.” Delving deep into the life of this nearly forgotten ruler, the book may raise some eyebrows amongst scholars.