"Pharaoh Village" - a unique open-air museum
As I'm writing this article, I wonder if there's still a place in the world where a museum can get acquainted with the four thousand-year history of the country. Not four thousand years ago, but for all 4 thousand years! Probably not! And in Cairo - there!
This "live" museum with some exposition exhibitions, located on the beautiful island of Nile - "Pharaonic Village", was made on the initiative of Dr. Hassan Ragaba.
Pharaoh's village. Central entrance
And I want to confess to you, friends, despite the fact that the life of the pharaohs scene is played artists, and ancient artifacts are just models and original copies, all the tourists who get a chance to visit this beautiful place, are very happy - both adults and children . Well, for our esteemed readers who have never been to Egypt, I will tell you what is so good about "The Village of the Pharaohs." However, about everything in order.
"The Village of the Pharaohs"
Theatrical show at "Karnak Temple" in "Village of the Pharaohs"
If you want to make the leap in time and back about four thousand years ago, just a few kilometers from the center of Cairo is the time machine that takes you on the fantastic travel time of the pharaohs. A group of actors and actresses, depicting scenes from the life of pharaohs and ordinary people of ancient Egypt, the exact reproduction of buildings, clothing and household items, exhibits showing the construction of pyramids, the mummification process, the most famous life in Egyptian history - Queen Cleopatra, and beyond the Christian period of Egypt, Muslims and contemporary art, down to the first photo exhibition of President Nasser and his successor Anwar Sadat - all this can be learned in the same place - on the island of Nile from El Azam in Giza.
Visitors to "Village of the Pharaohs take a small boat trip (a similar tram runs from Gizsky Manial Island to the opposite side of the Nile in the Cairo City City district.) While sailing through the canal network, tourists see the sights of ancient Egyptian life - as a farmers cultivate the earth with bulls that are used for plows,
A scene from the life of an ancient Egyptian peasant
and next to the potter works creating pottery.
Pitchers can be purchased
The next scene shows the girls taking the petals and squeezing the flower juice through a strip of canvas cloth to make aromatic oil.
The "crane" used to take water from the Nile, to water the flowers, included.
On the next site, just above the ground was an ancient scribe (well, one of the scribes written by Pharaoh was a writer). The next group of artists makes chariots - right in front of your eyes putting the wheel, lifting a rather heavy train. A little further - they are shepherding the sheep and pigeon plants to eat Pharaoh.
Breeders. In the background (clay house with a hole) - dovecotes Pharaoh, in a dove that is still bred
Sometimes fun to watch, as a half-naked officer or potter, in a loincloth, in a kind of wig and the right makeup (all eyes added up black antimony for distance to see - pharaoh's age), hearing the sound of outboard motors running out of bushes, shrubs into place, dokurivaya on the go or as a cigarette girl, color pickers hide the bright can of Coca-cola, start producing pressed oil-that happens sometimes. Artists are also people ...
Scene in a pond with lotus flowers (not always in bloom) - biblical story of the discovery of baby Moses
the final destination of the channel - it landed on the island, which simulated models of temples various periods of ancient Egypt.
It is possible, without departing from Cairo thousands of kilometers, walking through the famous temple of Ramzessa II from, the prototype located in Abu Sibley acquainted with the temples of Karnak and Lyuksorskim.
Pier Temple of Karnak
In this case, it should be noted that all original murals and sculptural compositions are copied with detailed accuracy.
Then you can sit on the trestle papyrus bed of Pharaoh, try the papyrus strap and touch the various pharaohs of life - which, of course can not do in this ancient temple - from there, even if some items have been found, all have been removed at the best in national and other Egyptian museums, and the worst - well, you yourself know ...
The spectacle, which can not be missed in the "Village of the Pharaohs" - is a true copy of Tutankhamun's tomb.
Items from the tomb of the Tutankhamun pharaoh - a copy of an artifact kept in the Egyptian National Museum
Dr. Ragab (together with a team of specially selected archeologists, engineers, architects and Egyptian artists) used Howard Carter's tapes from the original tomb to accurately reproduce all the details of the burial chamber from the valley of the kings, down to the smallest detail.
Items similar
Ragab opened a copy of an authentic cemetery in 1992, with the idea that visitors would experience the same excitement as Carter with Lord Carnarvon, at the time of grave discovery in 1922, after six long years of searching.
Most of the reproduced artifacts are made entirely by hand, using the same method used to make the original, since Dr. Ragab insists that his replicas are indistinguishable from the original to the greatest extent possible. For the manufacture of certain items takes years.
The decor of the pharaoh's cemetery room. In the sarcophagus, the mummy is not real
And again - unlike the real tombs in the Valley of the Kings, from which all the treasure was brought to the Cairo Museum, everything here lies and stands in its place, in its original form. Everything else in this tomb is air conditioning - those who descend into Tutankhamun's actual grave, they will understand me
Many walk in the "ancient" temple, and after resting in the cafe, while the children are photographed in pharaoh's outfit with all the attributes attached, you can cross to the beach across the island, where Dr. Ragab is located.
But I will discuss this in the second part of my story, about one of the most interesting places in Cairo.
Regards @xiongxu