AN
OLD KINGDOM SOJOURN
THURSDAY 18.11.1999
My
party and I left London Heathrow Airport on B.A. Flight
No BA0155, on this occasion a less than half full
Boeing 747 was the Aircraft. As always with BA. Everything
went according to schedule. We arrived at the El-Gezirah
Sheraton, our base for the next five exhilarating
and action packed days, in the middle of the Cairo
Film Festival. Over the next few days we would meet.
Roger Moore 007, Omar Sharif, Peter O'Toole and Alain
Delon. I had to assure my wife Christine and our guests,
this was not the norm for an Egyptology driven tour.
FRIDAY
19.11.1999
Up
for breakfast, 'I love Egyptian breakfasts'. I remember
in the 1970's and 1980's, I would rise at 05.30am,
not these days a more leisurely 8.OOam suffices. We
were met by my long time friend and associate Sabri
El Masry and off we went on our first adventure.
Always
my first port of call SAQQARA the excitement of the
drive even though it is partly via the new motorway
has never left me. Goodness me I love this place.
Call at the ticket office next to UNAS Valley Temple,
if you get the opportunity its worth the visit). Over
the years I've come to know all the ticketmen, we
pass the time of day then off we go up the road onto
the plateau. Its difficult to know where to start,
today though Christine wished to view KAGEMNI she
has long had the ambition to see the tomb having known
Dr Yvonne Harpur and Paolo Scremin many years, indeed
having been house guests of ours on a number of occasions,
she was not disappointed, the questions came flowing.
There is so much spectacular detail in this Chief
Justice & Vizier's 6~ Dynasty Mastaba Tomb. By the
way Dr Harpur's definitive volumes on this tomb are
ever nearing completion after a ten-year labour of
love.
Next
we enter the Pyramid of King Teti, the 1st King of
the 6~ Dynasty, the second pyramid to have the so-called
pyramid texts after King Unas the last King of the
5~ Dynasty. The Ancient Hieroglyphic Texts have great
beauty.
It's a wonderful place to visit but by far better
if you are alone. After a brief visit to Hetep, Ihy,
Imhotep, Khentika and Ankhmahor we spend time at the
ever crowded MERERUKA. So sad it is now difficult
to enter this Tomb without crowds of not so interested
tourists. The Tomb of Ti was eagerly anticipated as
we have a large print of him on our living room wall
by (Paolo Scremin Photography). Of course the lights
failed when we were in the chamber next to the Serdab,
was it the curse of the Pharaoh's or just showbiz.
We were lent a torch so it didn't really matter. The
Tomb has an eerie air about it in the darkness, which
enhanced its enjoyment.
Now
off to Ptahhotep Complex D64. Some of the wall reliefs
here are staggering for their beauty, especially Ptahhotep
with the unguent JAR. We walk from here to the Tomb
of ISESIANKH, which is now suffering neglect. Most
of the wall offering scenes on plaster has now fallen
onto the floor, but this would not be the worst we
would see, later in the week. On the west of Step
Pyramid we visit MRFNBF the recently discovered Tomb
by Prof-Mysliweic. There is now very little to view
most of the site is extremely well protected by brick
enclosures. I was very fortunate to visit and enter
this Tomb in December 1998 when Professor Mysliweic
spent an hour explaining in great detail his wonderful
discovery, many vividly coloured pristine wall reliefs,
that needed immediate conservation.
With
UNAS Pyramid being closed we next moved on to the
New kingdom necropolis, the Temple Tombs of Horemheb
and Maya plus TIA & Tia, Khay, Pabes having a letter
of introduction it was no problem to visit these tombs
at leisure. What magnificent conservation work has
been in evidence over the 15 or so years since discovery.
We now returned to the transport via
NI'ANKH'PEPY HERIMERU, IYNEFERT, PEHNUFER.
In
the evening we visited my favorite restaurant The
La Mamma 'Italian'. at the Sheraton Casino & Towers
a nice half mile walk across the Nile Bridge, helps
digest the food. 'I am sure the Wine is improving'.
We finished the evening by having a few drinks back
at the El Gezirah, sat next to us in the bar was 007
James Bond, one of my all time favorites since his
days as the Saint Roger Moore, what an end to a great
day.
SATURDAY
20.11.1999
Today Dahshur the Burial Place of the Great Sneferu,
funny how things change, it took me 14 years for my
first visit, it was a Military area. I waited 4 hours
and had an army escort with heavy automatic weapons,
they escorted me alt the way around the Red Pyramid
and would only let me view the Bent Pyramid from a
distance. The second visit I had a Police escort with
only hand guns and automatic weapons. Now it is an
open tourist area. Anyone who wishes to enter the
Red Pyramid should be warned, its hard work (harder
going in than coming out would you believe). I still
think its worth the visit to see the graffiti, left
by the intrepid explorers of the 19th century.
1.John
Shae Perring (1813-1869)
2.George Robins Gliddon (1809-1857)
3.Bernadino Drovetti (1776- 1852)
Check
your Who's who of Egyptologists.
When
you finally exit the Pyramid there is a terrific view
across South Saqqara to the Step Pyramid. My do you
need that view while you regain your composure or
am I getting old?
Off
we go to the Bent Pyramid, South of the Red Pyramid,
here it is well worth the time to climb the subsidiary
Pyramid, just to the South the views of Amenemhet
III and the 4th dynasty Mastaba Field are excellent
I always enjoy the walk around this pyramid each of
the corners show, the original corner stones and also
if you look carefully you can see the masons red ochre
marks. Other things to look for are the Pharonic patching
at the subsidiary Pyramid and the Block filling that
explains the way and the direction the blocks were
fitted on the major Pyramid, what must it have looked
like in the 4th Dynasty I wonder?.
The
northern entrance has wooden scaffolding, it looks
like the S.C.A. is clearing out the debris.
After
a great morning we are now off to another of my favourite
sites, Abusir. The site is due to open to the public
but I saw very little sign of that, the road to the
site has a lot of unsavoury turns.
As
we walk up Sahure's Causeway having spent 30 minutes
viewing the Valley Temple recently cleared, we are
approached by the site guardians. I show them my letter
of authority then everything is fine. In 1984 I crawled
half way into Sahure's Pyramid, now this is impossible,
the entrance is blocked by massive limestone blocks.
We walk round the pyramid, time does not allow us
to visit Abu Gurob the Sun Temples of Niuserre & Userkef
but we see them from the rise, that reminds me of
the time in 1992, the infamous 100 Tomb Tour, when
we got caught in a horrendous sand storm that came,
it seemed, from nowhere. Thankfully it lasted only
a few minutes, I digress. Next one of the largest
non-royal Tombs of the Old kingdom, in fact Lepsius
thought it was a Pyramid. The Tomb of Ptahshepses
the rickety ladder has gone after all these years,
you now enter via the northern wall (I was bought
the Czech Charles University of Prague Volume on this
Tomb last Christmas), Although most of the walt reliefs
are undercover there are still a few with colour still
in the open. I always pay a visit to Tepemankh it
reminds me of many previous visits searching for Old
kingdom inscriptions. I enquired about a swift visit
to Iufaa but alas none of the Czech team were on site,
the next best thing, a leisurely walk down Sahure's
Causeway to the Valley Temple, enough for today, back
to El-Gezirah. Tonight we eat in house, Pizza and
Red Wine, finished with a few Gin and Tonics.
SUNDAY
21.11.1999
Great
expectation today we go to Giza. This is always a
very special occasion, I have been on the most famous
of plateaus over 30 times. I find it difficult to
control my emotion, I have walked every inch of this
site over the years and I mean that. Where do we start
today? I decide Akhetmehu, recently opened, the guard
remembers me from earlier in the year, I taught him
how to read the Hieroglyphs in the Tomb, he's a smashing
lad, always ready to learn. Also the false door of
Khnemti. We now walk the Timeless area, Man fears
time but time fears the Pyramids' sometimes the effect
can be lessened by camel drivers etc, but not today.
We now visit the 6th Dynasty Tombs of Qar & Idw, then
on to Khufukhaf and the newly opened Tomb of Seshemnefer
the first time I have ever entered this Tomb interesting
False Door of Ptahhotep. We now walk across Khafre's
Causeway to the Tomb of Khentkaus, the SCA are now
clearing this important Tomb out. Queen Khentkaus
was the mother of 2 Kings of the Fifth Dynasty. I
found the way to climb to the top of this Pyramid,
come Mastaba there is a tremendous view from up there.
So much so, I stay for 30 minutes, finish the morning
by walking down Menkaure Causeway to Khafre Valley
Temple.
The
transport arrives with Sabri as always on time, now
the Egyptian Museum. We visit Rahotep, Nefermaat,
Hetepheres, Khufu, Meidum geese, Khabausokar, Djoser,
Narmer the list is endless. The nekhen Horus is well
displayed. In the gardens its worth time to view the
Sneferu Stelea from Dahshur. We now go to the Nile
Hilton. I don't believe it, how could they change
the coffee garden, after 25 minutes we gave up and
left for the El Gezirah. How fortunate we were, if
we hadn't left the Nile Hilton, we would never have
sat on the floating bar at the El Gezirah where if
you remember Clive James interviewed Omar Sharif (more
of Mr Sharif later). We sat and had a few beers in
idyllic conditions. What a great way to end the day.
Evening meal at the La Mamma Restaurant Sheraton Casino
& Towers, with the usual Nile stroll.
MONDAY
22.11.1999
Today we will see what we can of the rest of Saqqara.
I am determined to show the party what we can in a
short time. The start is at the Pyramid of Userkaf
the ~ King of the V Dynasty. I always remember my
first visit here in 1984, the entrance on the north
face of the course, the ignorance of youth, I entered
the Pyramid via the Burial Shaft when only a few feet
in a flock of pigeons (I think) made an enormous 'whoosh'
above my head. I thought the ceiling had collapsed,
yes, it taught me a lesson. The Mortuary Temple is
one of the most tranquil places I have ever visited
in Egypt, yet it is only half a mile from the Djoser
Complex, the massive sand mounds muffle the sound,
I swear you can hear a pin drop in Luxor. The basalt
pavement remains hardly worn after 4300 years. This
finished, I was now on a mission, I wanted to show
our party the destruction occurring within a short
distance of the world famous archaeological treasures.
Best foot forward over the sand mounds towards Djoser
to see the smashed Tomb of Sethu 046, A Son of Userkaf.
The Tomb was usurped by Nefertememsaf possibly in
the Middle kingdom having read the excellent article
in the JEA No 68 by Dr A.J. Spencer. 'The first and
second owners of a Memphite Tomb Chapel'. Followed
by Ward in JEA 70 1982. I first visited this Tomb
Chapel in April 99 to be horrified by the wanton destruction
of the northern False Door by recent Antiquities thieves.
To think the Chapel had remained untouched at least
since the middle kingdom to be destroyed in the last
two years, you can tell by the unpatinated limestone
since Spencers article this treasure has been destroyed
thank goodness we record and conserve what we can.
We now move to Unas Causeway to view Khnumhotep/ Niankhkhnum,
Irukaptah, Neferherenptah.
We
sit close to the French excavation Tomb of Akhethotep.
Now we walk up Unas Causeway viewing Niankhpepi, Herimeru,
Iyenhor, Nebkauhor, Kairer, Khenu, Iy, all very familiar
Tombs. Finally over the south Temenos wall of the
Djoser Complex and out the front entrance.
Whilst
the rest of the party went shopping to the Bazaar,
I spent the last two hours at Giza, visiting the excavations
south of the Wall of the crow, then retracing the
previous day back to Khentkaus, Rawer, Kaemnefert,
Mersuankh and finally Khafre Mortuary Temple. The
rest of the party collected me near the Inscrutable
Sphinx. Back to El Gizirah for a bath, I wonder what
the last evening will bring!
It
started with the usual stroll across the Nile to the
La Mamma for an Italian meal, the usual guitarist
playing and singing like Manuel of Fawlty Towers.
At 9.30 I had enough, I went to bed and left the rest
of the party in the bar. At about 9.45 I got a phone
call from Christine, my good lady who had become acquainted
with the General Manager of the Hotel. She phoned
with some inside information acquired from the Manager
that at 11.00 various film stars were due to arrive
for the Cairo Film Festival. I was down in a flash.
Already staying at the Hotel, Hussein Famny the famous
Egyptian Film Star and Director he was hosting the
arrivals of Alain Delon and two hours later arriving
from London on the same flight Omar Sharif and Peter
O'Toole what a great end to the trip. The only downside
being lack of sleep.
I
had to impress on my fellow travellers this was not
the norm!!.
A.M. FILDES