Hieroglyphic Overload

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Yesterday I spent the day just outside of Luxor, in an area known as the "Valley of the Kings". In this area, nearly two hundred years ago, excavation took place in a very rocky and mountainous dry area just outside of Luxor, and to date has revealed the tombs of nearly 23 Pharaohs, the most recent being 2006. No pictures to demonstrate with today because they are very strict about their no-camera policy in the tombs. As we descended some of the tombs, deep, deep into the mountain (they were hidden to prevent grave robbers) I marvelled at the incredible art work of each tomb which told the story of that particular pharaoh as well as the instructions to help guide him into the afterlife. Many of the "paint" in the tombs remains intact and the visual splendour was indescribable. The amount of years, hours, minutes spent providing detail to each tomb was incredible. You could literally see the light brush strokes to indicate feathers, pleats and patterns. It was a sensory overload!!!

We rode mules up to the entrance way and my mule and I were definitely not height proportioned. I created my own set of mule "brakes" by simply dropping my feet to the ground when he appeared to be too energetic!

The day before I had visited the Temples of Karnak and thought that nothing could top the brilliance of this ancient civilization. The columns you saw on the previous blog were part of the priests temple and are colossal in size. The technique they used to transport and carve and decorate these columns is ingenious. I saw obelisks that were nearly 23 metres in height and was informed that nothing could go wrong in their transport or they would break. They were decorated at the top triangular portions with gold to serve as a type of lighthouse for those travelling in the distance. We also learned about the incredible reign of a female pharaoh who was the activist of her time for equal rights! I stared quivering at one scene on the wall of a temple that depicted captive soldiers having their penises cut off...apparently 23 000 in total...talk about losing your balls in battle!

So much information to process each day but the more I marvel at this civilization the more I realize that we are not indeed the "superior" one when they had such ingenious methods of construction that were beyond mathematical perfection. If I am an incarnate of an ancient Egyptian, I would hope that I was at least a mistress of the pharaoh...the construction industry back then looks momentous!

Tomorrow we will wake up at 4:00 a.m. and take a seven-hour bus ride to Mt. Sinai. Once we arrive we will begin our ascent of Mt. Sinai. The first half of the journey will be by camel so I need to mentally prepare as I have heard that as we ascend, others are descending by camel as well on narrow cliffs and roadways. I am hoping that my camel is more cooperative than the mule I rode previously. If not, I may be asking God for a little assistance on that sacred mountain. If Moses could do it...I certainly can!!!

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Comments

[jude]

Hieroglyphic Overload
Loving it, Loving it Kevin. Oh I do so much enjoy this trip with you, It feels like I'm right there. You are writing beautifully and painting the picture. So happy you are doing this trip. luv jude