Apr 16 - Memphis (not in Tennessee!)

First of three postings for today.

Our first stop of the day was in Memphis. We passed some deplorable slums and filthy conditions along the way. We saw men on camels, a donkey cart with a water buffalo tied to it and the ever-present tuk-tuks.

Memphis was an ancient city of Egypt, whose ruins are situated on the Nile about 15 km (nearly 10 miles) south of Cairo. It was the first capital of the Old Kingdom of Egypt c.3100 BC, founded by Menes, the ruler of the first Egyptian dynasty, who united the kingdoms of Upper and Lower Egypt. Memphis means "endearing and beautiful". It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The strategic placement of Memphis at the head of the Nile delta moved over time to follow the river's changing course. Eventually, the head of the delta moved further north, leading to the creation of Egypt's new Islamic capital, ancestor of modern-day Cairo.

We visited the Memphis Open Air Museum. The most famous of Memphis’ monuments is the limestone colossal statue of Ramesses II, displayed near to where it was originally found. It would have towered over 10 meters high. Ramesses II (1279 - 1213 BC) is regarded as one of the greatest and most powerful pharoahs in Egyptian history. He reigned for 66 years, had 90 children, fought in many wars and achieved one of the first peace treaties in world history. He built extensively throughout Egypt, building cities, temples and monuments. Like a graffiti artist, he made his mark by having his name inscribed on every possible stone, and by building numerous statues to himself.

We were stunned by the amount of detail in the carving and the amazingly accurate musculature in the limbs. And all of this done without benefit of Black and Decker tools! The statue once guarded one of the gates of the Great Ptah Temple. Ramesses wears his Names (head dress), the double crown of Upper and Lower Egypt, his false beard and a kilt. The female cobra on his forehead is there to strike out at anyone who might dare to attack him.

We saw a majestic Sphinx, the second largest in Egypt. Incredibly, this 8-meter statue is made out of a single block of Egyptian alabaster. Sphinxes were often guards or protectors of ancient Egyptian sacred places. Some represent kings (pharaohs) with their human faces attached to the body of a lion - an animal recognized as the ultimate symbol of power.Read more