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8-day circuit in Middle-Egypt:
governors of Middle-Egypt in the Amarnien
dream
From 10 to 17 November 2007
Cultural voyage organized by Luc Watrin,
Egyptologist, researcher associated with the
CNRS (UMR 7041), president of the GREPAL (Groupe
de Recherche European Pour L’Archéologie
au Levant).
Day 1:
Departure from Paris for Cairo.
Arrival at Cairo and transfer to a 4 or 5
star hotel in Gizeh.
Conference “Gizeh in the IVth and IIIrd millennia”.
Day 2:
Visit to the Gizeh plateau (Kheops, Kephren,
Mykerinos, great Sphinx). Discovery of the
infrastructures of the Kheops pyramid and
portions closed to the public (1st chamber
and “queen’s” chamber). Debate on the latest
hypotheses concerning a possible secret chamber
in the Great Pyramid.
Continuation to the site of Abu-Roach where
there existed an ancient Thinite cemetery
and the mysterious pyramid of King Didoufri
(if given authorization by the SCA).
Lunch at the restaurant of the Mena House
at Gizeh (5 stars).
In the afternoon, departure for the Middle-Egypt
in air-conditioned bus. Arrival at Minya in
the evening.
Night at Minya (4-star Mercury Hotel).
Day 3:
Visit to the Minya region, one of the richest
regions in archaeological remains in all of
Egypt.. Visit to the site of Zawiyet el-Amwat
and the remains of a broken-slope pyramid
(if given SCA authorization).
Continuation to Beni-Hassan and discovery
of the sumptuous hypogees (graves carved into
the Djebel) of the powerful governors of the
sixteenth nome of Upper Egypt in the Middle
Kingdom. Rare scenes in which appear military
exercises (struggles) and an Asian caravan
loaded with exotic products decorate the walls
of the hypogees (graves of Khnumhotep II and
III).
To the south of the graves of the governors,
visit to “Speos Armemidos”, a temple-hypoge
raised during the XVIIIth dynasty by the Queen
Hatchespout for the Lion-goddess Pakhet, a
monument which also conserves rare texts concerning
the Hyksos “invaders”.
Travel south to Antinoe (Sheikh ‘Abada),
a city founded by Emperer Hadrien in 130 A.D.
Remains of a Ramses II temple to the west
of the city. (if given SCA authorization).
Picnic lunch.
Visit of the El-Bersheh cemetery featuring
the graves of the governors of the fifteenth
nome of Upper-Egypt including Djehoutihotep
who lived under several kings of the Middle-Kingdom,
notably the terrible Sesostris III. This grave
features a rare scene where workers raise
a 5-meter statue, set on a monumental wood
sled (if given SCA authorization).
Return to Minya in the evening.
Night at Minya (4-star Mercury Hotel).
Day 4:
Departure to the Amara region. Discovery
of a “border stone” marking the limits of
the Akhenaton city to the west. This “reliquaire”
features the likenesses of the Kings Akhenaton
and Nefertiti adoring the solar disc Aton.
Continuation to the site of Tunah el-Djebel,
a site founded during the Persian period.
Visit to the tomb of the great priest Petosiris
in the shape of a “miniature temple” dating
to the early Hellenistic period, and to vast
catacombs conserving mummies of animals sacred
to the god Thot (ibis and baboons).
Continuation to Hermopolis (El Ashmounein)
home of the god Thot, acting here as the Creator
of the World. Remains of a Thot temple with
a colossal Baboon statue. Nearby is the impressive
Roman basilique of Hermopolis.
Picnic lunch.
Discovery of the Aton Horizon (Tell el-Amarna),
capital of the pharaoh Akhenaton. Built in
a meander of the Nile around 1373 B.C. in
an area free of any constructions. This city
is rapidly abandoned after the reign of the
“heretic” king. It is progressively being
brought to the forefront thanks to the work
of an English archaeological mission. Discovery
of the palace of Nefertiti, a monumental border
palette as well as graves of significant persons
of the regiome, including the high priest
of Aton, whose walls hide a map of the Great
Temple of Amarna.
Return to Minya in the evening.
Conference: « Tell el-Amarna: the Forbidden
city.
Night at Minya (4-star Mercury Hotel).
Day 5:
Departure for the Mellawi Museum, one of
the most important museums in Egypt.
Halt at Meir, capital of the fourteenth nome
of Upper-Egypt (if given SCA authorization).
Discovery of the graves of governors from
the Old and Middle Kingdoms.
Picnic lunch.
Arrival in the evening at Sohag.
Night at Sohag (Hotel Abu el-Wafa or Andar
Palace, 2 stars).
Day 6:
Wake at dawn to discover the monastery of
Deir el-Abyad, a fortified Christian building
constructed around 440 B.C. with elements
taken from pharaonic sites.
Continuation to the site of Akhmin, whose
great temple from the Ramses period is currently
being excavated by the SCA (if given SCA authorization).
Discovery of a 10.5-meter high monumental
stone statue of Queen Meritamon, daughter
of Ramses II.
Lunch at Abydos. Discovery of the New-Kingdom
temples of Abydos. Carved in fine limestone,
the temples of Sethi I and Ramses II retain
their colors even today. Visit to the Thinite
cemetery of ‘Umm el-Qaab, where the earliest
Kings of Egypt are buried, along with representations
of the god Osiris in mudbrick graves.
In late afternoon, visit to Denderah, an
exceptional Ptolemaic site dedicated to the
bovine goddess Hathor.
In the evening : arrival at Luxor.
Day 7:
Visit to the great temples of Karnak dedicated
to Amon, Mout and Khonsou.
Discovery of the Mout wall where are raised
scores of statues of the Lioness Goddess Sekhmet,
mostly made under the reign of Amenophis III
(if given SCA and US Institute authorization).
Lunch in a downtown restaurant.
Free half-day.
Dinner at the hotel.
Night at Luxor.
Day 8:
Return to Paris.
This tour includes:
- An round-trip flight Paris-Cairo - Luxor/Paris.
- The airport/hotel/airport transfers in
a private bus.
- Repatriation insurance and assistance for
the group and the guide.
- A 4/5-star hotel at in Cairo, Minya (Mercure)
and Luxor in half-board for 6 nights (Hilton,
Mercure, Sonesta, or equivalent). Double occupancy
room, extra for a single room.
- Lunches. To facilitate the excursions,
3 picnic lunches are organized in Middle-Egypt
(picnic baskets prepared by the Minya Mercure
Hotel).
- transport by luxury bus with air conditioning
during the entire Middle-Eastern tour.
- Military escorts where necessary.
- Accompaniment by Luc Watrin, specialist
to the destination.
- Programmed visits, fees to the sites and
museums (Mellawi).
- Two conferences organized in the evening
at the hotel and on the sites by M. Luc Watrin.
- An Egyptian guide of higher-education (SCA
inspector).
- Maps, cultural information on the main
sites visited.
- Administrative authorizations delivered
by the SCA for the non-tourist sites included
in the program (Abu-Roash, Speos Artemidos
of Beni-Hassan, Zawiyet el Amwat, Antinoe/Sheikh
Abada, El-Bersheh, Akhmim, ‘Umm el-Qaab, domain
of Mout at Karnak).
- Visa fees.
The cost of the trip does not include:
- Drinks.
- Personal expenses.
- Baggage and cancellation insurance.
- Tips to the local guides and to the driver.
- The usual tips in Egypt on the sites and
in restaurants (expect 25 euros per person
to give to your guide on the first day).
Travel organizer: Local providers.
Travel base: 10 to 20 persons (maximum).
Dates: From 10 to 17 November 2007.
Price: Contact us
Sponsorship: GREPAL
Technical and cultural design of the trip:
Mr Luc Watrin (Egyptologist/Researcher associated
with the CNRS – UMR 7041, Director of the
GREPAL). Tel. 01 47 50 46 88.
10 rue de la Côte d’Argent 92410 Ville
d’Avray.
Email :
lucwatrin@grepal.org
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