Sunday 28 August 2016

More Maps of the West Bank

Following the amazing success of the Nobles tomb map here are the location of Deir el Shelwit, the Thoth temple and the major sites and the ticket office. Do please contact me if you want the Google Earth file

Thoth Temple at Medinet Habu

 
Deir el Shelwit
West Bank major sites and temples

Saturday 27 August 2016

Nobles Tomb Map Google Earth file available

If anyone wants a Google Earth file of my map please send me your email address and I will send it to you

Multi faith Luxor

Spotted on Facebook, this wonderful photo by Mustafa Karim. All faiths all eras, this is the Luxor I love

Friday 26 August 2016

Maps of the Nobles Tombs

Maps of the Nobles Tombs

The first map is the entire Valley of the Nobles and the second image is the Qurna area alone. I would normally resize them to fit the page but thought you would prefer the full image. There are more maps under the tag MAPS and if you want my Google Earth file just email me

  • TT192 TT44 Assasif Tombs and TT279 Pabasa
  • Valley of the Nobles – Gurna
    • TT55 Ramose, TT57 Khaemhet, TT56 Userhet
    • TT96 Sennefer and TT100 Rekhmire
    • TT69 Meena TT52 Nakht TT41 Amenemopet called Ipy
    • TT51 Userhet, TT343 Benia and TT31 Khonsu
  • Khokha Tombs TT178 Neferronpet, TT296 Nefersekheru, Dhutmosis
  • TT110 Djehiuty
  • Dra Abu Naga TT255 Roy TT13 Shu Roy TT148 Amenemope


Nobles Tombs Map



Gurna Nobles Tomb Map

Private sector looks to boost tourism to Luxor, Aswan - Daily News Egypt

Private sector looks to boost tourism to Luxor, Aswan - Daily News Egypt: Heidi Hemaya, the media planning manager at J. Walter Thompson Cairo (JWT), the advertising company responsible for Egypt’s promotional campaign abroad, said that the company will give Luxor and Aswan great attention in their promotional campaigns that will begin in September for the coming winter season.

She explained that there are certain markets that seek the type of cultural tourism present in Luxor and Aswan.

Thursday 25 August 2016

Burial chamber discovered in Asasif on Luxor's west bank - Ancient Egypt - Heritage - Ahram Online

Burial chamber discovered in Asasif on Luxor's west bank - Ancient Egypt - Heritage - Ahram Online: During excavation and cleaning work carried out in the tomb of the 25th Dynasty Thebes Mayor Karabasken in south Asasif, on Luxor's west bank, the Egyptian American South Asasif Conservation Project discovered his burial chamber and sarcophagus.

luxor

Tuesday 23 August 2016

Sunday 21 August 2016

GILLES PINCHON Photographs

GILLES PINCHON



I was sent this link by the owner and I must admit I really enjoyed the photos



I am a French photographer who has carried out several photo-shootings
in Upper Egypt. So far, I’ve been to Egypt 20 times. I am contacting you
today to present my web site to you. It is entirely dedicated to black
and white silver bromide photography. It includes four links focused on
Upper Egypt (Egypt – Muse – Portraits – West bank). Most of the pictures
were taken to Luxor or around Luxor and on the west bank. When visiting
this web site you might even recognize a few familiar faces you have
come across or people you know personally. Please note that this web
site doesn’t work on a smart phone. A PC / Mac is required as well as a
flash player. (http://www.gillespinchon.com/ and
http://www.gilles-pinchon.com/ - both links provide the same content
from two different servers) This web site also offers other links to the
viewer among which, another one on south Devon (Torbay) and one on Los
Angeles downtown. Fell free to forward me any comments you may think to
be relevant regarding this work Best regards,

BBC Radio 4 - Fantasy Festival, Chris Beardshaw Egyptian Garden

The Egyptian death garden. the beginning of this program wonderfully describes the gardens shown in Egyptian tomb paintings. BBC radio is available worldwide so you can all listen, Very lyrical

BBC Radio 4 - Fantasy Festival, Chris Beardshaw

Saturday 20 August 2016

Luxor Museum Opening Hours and Prices

From TripAdvisor: The museum opening hours have changed. It's now open from 09:00 - 14:00, last admission 13:30, and again from 17:00 - 21:00, last admission at 20:30.



The museum still costs LE100 to enter, but the LE50, non-flash, photo
tickets are definitely available. Keep it handy as
you can guarantee at least one museum employee will want to see it, if
you're seen snapping away There's an LE100 immediate fine if you're
caught taking photos with no ticket and I dare say your memory card will
be wiped.

Thursday 18 August 2016

Did you realise just how big Amenhotep III temple is?

Have you explored the west bank on Google Earth? You really get a sense of things. Like the enormous size of the entire temple of Amenhotep III (behind the colosus of Memnon) and the relationship with the tiny temple of Merenptah tucked away in the north east corner

Tuesday 16 August 2016

Hidden Luxor – Colossus of Memnon- disabled visiting

Hidden Luxor – Colossus of Memnon

Colossus of Memnon

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The very first site you see on the west bank is the Colossus of Memnon. I am sure you have all seen this on your first visit to Luxor and it is hardly hidden but there is a lot here that is missed by the casual visitor.
04 in the car park

Today I explored the site on my mobility scooter. The only part a disabled person would not be able to get to is down the steps to view the pedestals at close quarters. But that is hardly a problem when the main point of the statues is their grandeur which is better viewed from the car park.
The trip along the road was enjoyable it reminded me of donkey rides. The pace is slower and you feel more connected to people and you most definitely notice things you would miss in a car. There were biblical scenes of farming, with flooded fields and newly planted crops

 01 Newly Planted Fields02 Flooded Fields

This is the very front of the mortuary temple of Amenhotep III which is under excavation by Dr Hourig Sourouzian. Initially this site looked very unpromising but over the years the wealth of discoveries she has made has been extensive.

05 Three pylons

There were actually 3 pairs of statues in front of the three pylons not just the colossus. They have started work putting the others in place.

 03 Steps

You can see the third one in between to the original two in the photo above. As you go along the main road from the colossus to the ticket office there are a number of story boards explaining the entire site with viewing areas.

 05 Story Boards08 Storyboards and viewing area

 This is looking at the courtyard behind the third pylon

 06 Courtyard



At the northern entrance there were a pair of standing statues which have been reassembled and re-erected. Not quite in their original position as that is not available but closer to the road and visitable.

07 Northern Colossus in the Background

Turning right along the road that goes past the temples you can see the Northern colossus and again they have story boards explaining their story of discovery, reassemble and re-erection. One thing is strange, they are wearing the white crown of southern Egypt, now conventionally statues facing the north should wear the red crown of northern Egypt.

 20160220_093434

It is worth noting the size of this temple and how small the temple of Merenptah is in comparison. It is tucked away in the corner behind the northern statues. If the northern statues have been found there is a strong likelihood there is a set of southern statues and they might be across the road and in the middle of the field to the south. They may also answer the conundrum of why the northern colossus are wearing southern crowns. It is all very interesting.

By this time I was very hot and very thirsty and I came across on of the road side water stations. These are put by locals for the refreshment of passers by. It is part of the hospitality of the Egyptians and it was icy cold and very refreshing.

10 Cold drink

Mysteries of Irtieru | South Asasif Conservation Project Blog

Mysteries of Irtieru | South Asasif Conservation Project Blog



Mysteries of Irtieru



The tomb of Irtieru (TT 390) is among the most
intriguing tombs of the Theban necropolis. Irtieru’s titles, Chief
Attendant to the God’s Wife Nitocris and Female Scribe place her among
the highest elite of her time. The wife and mother of Viziers of Upper
Egypt, she did not mention the names of her husband Nespamedu (buried in
Abydos) or her son Nespakashuty D (buried at Deir el Bahri) in the
decoration of her tomb. Few women even among the higher-ranking elite
had tombs that reflected this level of personal career orientation..........
Image001


Friday 12 August 2016

Hidden Luxor Update - can I have your views


So what would you like to see in the new revised Hidden Luxor?

 
My guide book Hidden Luxor has been hugely popular over the years and I am planning a big update. There are lots of new sites to include as described on my post "What is new to see in Luxor" also I have some serious mobility issues and have recently got myself a mobility scooter and I thought it would be helpful to other people to know which sites are suitable for those of us with those kind of issues.


Please contact me with any ideas