Valley of the Kings

Our second day in Luxor found our party bicycling to the Valley of the Kings, the burial grounds of a plethora of New Kingdom pharaohs and nobles. This 9 km ride brought us over the dirt road leading from our lodging, through the winding and bustling streets of West Luxor, and finally to the rising and arid heights of that dusty valley.

On the way, we made a number of stops, the first being to pick up some pita and falafel sandwiches from a street vendor. Outside his awning, we noticed a couple of hot air balloons aloft some way off, between ourselves and our destination. This is a popular attraction here, though the haze on this particular morning certainly impeded any aerial sightseeing.

The continuation of our ride brought us past the Colossi of Memnon, a pair of imposing figures seated in an eternal watch over the east entrance of the funerary temple of Amenophis III. Originally representing the Pharaoh Amenhotep III, the ancient Greeks and Romans identified the duo as Memnon, an Ethiopian king who came to the aid of Troy during the Trojan War. After an earthquake in 27 BC, a large crack opened in the right figure, after which it purportedly would 'sing' on some mornings, and was thus called the "vocal" Memnon. Attributed to some machination of the evaporation of dew, the sound ceased forever after the Roman emperor Septimius Severus had the statue repaired after it refused to speak to him, thinking that repairing it would curry favor with the oracle.

After briefly admiring these majestic figures, we set off once more towards the mountains. Some confusion about where to purchase tickets forced us to backtrack a short ways, but we nonetheless soon found ourselves continuing our journey through sandy rock escarpments which flanked our path, guiding us into the valley. Upon arrival at the Valley of the Kings Visitor Center, we devoured our felafels and proceeded through yet another gauntlet of tourist shops that line the only route into the area.

We joined hundreds of tourists at the second necessary ticket office, many in large groups, whose buses passed us continually on the road up into the mountains. Fortunately crowds were not too bad, apart from the ticket area, as the throngs dispersed over the large area of the valley.

A single ticket limits visitors to only 3 tombs out of a possible 8 currently open, not including those with their own tickets such as that of King Tut. This is fortunate, for we have been living up to the maxim of 'Leave no stone unturned."  I suspect we would have methodically gone inside each and every tomb otherwise, an undertaking which would have taken many hours, including the one reserved for lunch, a meal we have gone without on more than one occasion.

The first tomb of our allotted three goes by the alphanumeric moniker of KV14, and once belonged to the Pharaoh Sethnakht, who usurped the tomb from his predecessor, Queen Tawosret, the wife of Seti II. This tomb features walls covered in paintings featuring figures from Egyptian mythology and the ever- present scores of hieroglyphics. We next toured KV9, the tomb of Ramses III, whose slumber now continues in the Egyptian Museum. Similar to the other tombs, this one is notable for the presence of secular scenes intermingled with the usual religious ones. These include two blind harpists and the portrayal of foreign tribute.

With one tomb left of our allotted three, our route brought us by the highly anticipated tomb of King Tutankhamun, where the Pharaoh himself can still be seen, though lying in a glass box rather than his accustomed sarcophagus. We stopped here, and were somewhat disappointed with the tomb itself, which is one of the smallest in the valley. Indeed, it is only notable for being full of treasure at its discovery, all of which was moved to the Egyptian Museum.

The last tomb of the three belonged to the 13th son of Ramses II, Merenptah. It features a long passage leading deep into the mountain, as well as flood damage to the lower portions.

The final tomb of our visit, not covered by our primary ticket, brought us far off the beaten track, and we found ourselves the only ones walking the couple or so kilometers up a hot deserted dirt track, with a paucity of water in our goatskins. In fact, a guard passed us on a motorcycle to unlock it just for us, as it is evidently rarely visited. This tomb belonged to the Pharaoh Ay, the successor to King Tut, and was originally intended for the boy king himself until the new sovereign swapped tombs. It is notable for scenes of hunting, which are normally found in the tombs of nobles - flocks of birds rising above the marsh grasses.

Leaving the Valley of the Kings, our return trip brought us past our final site of the day, the Ramesseum, a memorial temple to Ramses II which inspired the poem Ozymandias by Percy Shelley. Though we saw the ruins of a colossal figure, "two vast and trunkless legs of stone" were notably absent, and we surmised the poem must itself be the inspiration for the phrase, 'Poetic License.'

-Nathaniel with a few additions from the other travelers of an antique land

Tut 2 and Mummy in front of the Colossi of Memnon 

The Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut viewed from afar through the haze. Many tombs are visible dotting the dusty cliffs during the approach along the road leading past the Colossi.

Into the valley

Mummy and Tut 2 in the Valley of the Kings

A panorama of a chamber in KV14

The path to the tomb of Ay 

We found ourselves walking through a remote canyon on the way to the solitary West Valley

 A hunting scene from the tomb of Ay

A view of the cliffs on our return from the Valley of the Kings. The structures shown are the tombs of noblemen.

Panoramic shot of the Ramesseum

The Ramesseum with wreck of colossal head

Our Visit to the Perfume Shop

On the Giza Pyramid day, our arranged tour included lunch, and then a visit to both a perfume and papyrus museum.  Being ever open to new experiences, we accepted these add-ons as a benevolent gesture from our host who no doubt wanted us to get the most from our visit.

After a traditional Egyptian lunch of a rice-a-roni type dish garnished with tomato sauce and other condiments called co-sharry, eaten in a tiny establishment with a few tables and a cooking area open to one of Giza’s main drags, we bundled back into the car and arrived at the perfume “museum.”  Was there a man dismayed when the word “museum” did not appear on the entrance marquee? 

We were ushered to one of many benches ranged along a wall full of display cases of glass unguent bottles, and accepted glasses of karkadeh, a red infusion of hibiscus leaves common here, from our “museum” guide.  We engaged in a brief friendly conversation about where we were from etc, and then he launched into his spiel, bringing over various oils and extolling their various virtues.  By now it was dreadfully apparent that this was a museum like a sphinx is a minx.  He had assured us there was no obligation, but after  dabbing 8 or 9 various oils up and down our arms, one of which he thought would prove irresistible to the boys, as its aroma was guaranteed to bring on the women, and having brought out the various size bottles available for purchase, the smallest of which was fairly large and would have cost at least $80, I piped up that we were traveling with backpacks and simply did not have room to buy anything.  Now, it may have been my imagination, but this man, who had been as smooth as his unguents up until now, fixed me with the evil eye.

Had there been a small vial available for purchase, we could have escaped a bit more gracefully than we did.  In any case, it convinced me that we did  not want to go to the Papyrus “Museum”, and so returned directly to our 3 Pyramids View Inn.

-Mummy

 

In the "Museum"

Luxor Temple and Karnak

Our first full day in Luxor found us venturing back across to the east bank of the Nile to explore the Middle/New Kingdom temples of Luxor and Karnak. On our way we enjoyed an Egyptian breakfast of eggs, crepes, bread, bananas, and some sort of rice pudding in the little courtyard of a local hotel.  

We first stopped at the Temple of Luxor, a pylon temple established in the New Kingdom around 3400 years ago. The remaining temple complex is relatively small (especially compared to Karnak), sitting nearly on the Nile before the main road leading from the railway station. In fact, we nearly walked halfway around this site on our previous trip from the train to the Nile ferry. 

Two large pylons with imposing colossal statues and an obelisk mark the entrance to the temple complex. The obelisk is only one of an original symmetrical pair; its sibling now occupies the Place de la Concorde in Paris. Stretching in front of the temple entrance for 3 km is an avenue of sphinges leading to Karnak. All in our party were delighted with the large number of these beasts that are still extant, particularly in the area nearest to the temple. The avenue is in the process of being reclaimed from the modern city so the public is unfortunately unable to promenade down this route.

Beyond the pyloned temple entrance are a series of courtyards lined with large columns and densely inscribed walls. Nearly every surface is covered with symbolic images and hieroglyphics, such that we could have spent many more hours in study and still not have noticed all the minute and elaborate characters, let alone begin to grasp their extended meaning. In ancient times these walls were brightly painted, increasing their visual appeal if not their sage and stately manner which has increased with time. The original paint is still preserved to varying degrees in several places, giving some idea as to the original effect of these embellishments. 

Additions and modifications were continually made to the temple since its creation, by such names as Ramses II, King Tut, and even Alexander the Great, who, among other things, built an enclosed shrine in the heart of the complex with depictions of himself as Pharaoh being blessed by the gods. 

Our tour of the site brought us in a circuit through these monumental walls and columns back towards the Avenue of Sphinges and on to Karnak about 2 miles to the north. For this journey we took advantage of one of the many horse drawn caleches that swarm the area. 

Karnak, like the Temple of Luxor, is a pylon temple with many towering walls and columns interspersed with colossal statues and smaller shrines. It is far larger than its sibling to the south, sprawling over an area of 2 square kilometers with more than a hundred huge columns, 2 obelisks, and 10 towering pylons. Karnak is also much older, having been continually used (and also modified) since the Middle Kingdom (4000 years ago). Today only remnants of the Middle Kingdom structures remain.

The most famous and well known portion of Karnak is the Great Hypostyle Hall, consisting of 134 titanic columns (diameter more than 3 meters) arranged in 16 rows. These columns are shaped like papyrus stalks, symbolizing the great swamp (chaos) out of which the god Amun created the world. The hall was built such that it would flood with the Nile, to create a more literal symbolism. 

A stone roof once covered the hall but has since fallen. The word 'hypostyle' comes from the Greek and means to be supported by columns; it is an architectural term.

We entered the temple through the First Pylon on the west side. An avenue of ram headed sphinges line this route, which are not to be confused with the human headed sphinges coming from Luxor (these meet up with the Tenth Pylon on the southern edge of the temple). 

Beyond the First Pylon is a large courtyard occupied by a solitary column of exceptional height, one of ten from ancient times. Beyond this courtyard is the Hypostyle Hall, but rather than heading straight for this popular and crowded spot we turned south, passing through a chapel of Ramses III and heading for the Temple of Khonsu (god of the Moon) in the south west corner. 

Between this temple and the main structure is a large open space which is now filled with row upon row of rubble, evidently dragged from all across the site and lined up in an effort of organization. A little to the east, extending south from just beyond the Hypostyle Hall, are the Seventh, Eighth, Ninth, and Tenth Pylons (the others are in the main complex around the hall facing the First Pylon). 

After exploring the Temple of Khonsu (where a robed guard gave us a little tour for some baksheesh) we headed over to these structures for a closer look, also seeing the other end of the Avenue of Sphinges. Returning north we passed the Sacred Lake, which to everyone's surprise is still filled with water, and saw a famous scarab statue as well as the top portion of a toppled obelisk constructed by Hatshepsut. This is also one of a pair of obelisks, with the sibling still standing on the site; these have the distinction of being the tallest obelisks of the ancient world. 

With the bright midday light beginning to fade to late afternoon we meandered through the Hypostyle Hall, marveling at these massive columns while pondering the creation of order from chaos. The surfaces of these columns are heavily worn and chipped in parts, so that great swaths are covered in modern plaster to give each column its proper bulk and circumference. 

This route took us out through the north of the central complex and on towards what is known as the Open Air Museum in the north west corner of the site. This venue houses a variety of statues and steles, as well as several small chapels. Of note here is the White Chapel of Senusret, in whose Middle Kingdom reign the construction of Karnak began. This chapel actually had to be reassembled from its pieces found within the Third Pylon; evidently it was demolished in the reign of Amenhotep III to be used as filler. 

We finished our visit after a walk to the eastern extremity (opposite the exit at the First Pylon). Being somewhat worn out by this time we avoided and politely refused the two robed guards who wanted to give us impromptu tours (in return for baksheesh, of course).

We ended the day with dinner and beer in a small open air restaurant near our Airbnb.

At breakfast

Various murals depicting the Hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca) are scattered around west Luxor in the town near our Airbnb.

Ready to cross the Nile on the ferry. Tickets are 5 Egyptian pounds per person; we were warned to avoid the aggressive peddlers who advertise a ride across at the same price only to demand 5 British pounds on the other side (20 times more expensive).

Mummy and Tut 1 in front of the Avenue of Sphinges

Tut 2 in front of the pylons of the Temple of Luxor

Panorama showing the main colonnaded courtyard of the Temple of Luxor

 In the temple

Hieroglyphics such as these, as well as larger murals, adorn all the surfaces in the temple. See if you can identify the grouped Ankh, Djed pillar, and Was staff, symbols of life, stability, and dominion (these three appear a lot, sometimes combined and even anthropomorphized). 

Some of the ancient and faded paint

A closer look

Greek graffiti in the temple

 

Tut and Tut in the temple complex with the pylons and obelisk in the background

A panoramic shot of the Avenue of the Sphinges

 

Tut 2 and Mummy in front of the First Pylon at Karnak. Colossal statues used to flank the entrance.

The ram headed sphinges of the west entrance

Tut 1 and Mummy in the first courtyard; the column in the background is one of ten originals.

 Tut 1 and Mummy in front of the shattered Tenth Pylon

The Avenue of Sphinges viewed from the Tenth Pylon at Karnak

One of the obelisks at Karnak

Tut 1 in front of the crumbling Second Pylon

 The White Chapel of Senusret

Ankh, Djed pillar, and Was staff symbols

Near the eastern extremity of Karnak

On the rood of the Temple of Khonsu (part of impromptu tour with robed guard)

In the Great Hypostyle Hall

Mummy in the columns

Throngs crowded the main causeway to the Great Hypostyle Hall, but the area beyond the center complex interior was deserted. 

Panorama of the Great Hypostyle Hall

Train to Luxor

Not without some trepidation did we anticipate our ride on the day train from Giza to Luxor. A 10 hour ride is enough even to make the pristine Shinkansen weary to the most avid train enthusiast. Add to this the horror stories found online from past travellers who warned of rickety carriages, greasy accommodations, and unhelpful employees, and you have a recipe for a veritable witches brew of unhappiness, frustration, and despair.

The concoction of this foul potion was happily thwarted by lack of ingredients, though, as we were all pleasantly surprised by the smoothness of our journey's start.

Rising early in anticipation of the busy Sunday morning (first day of the Islamic week) rush hour traffic, we took an Uber to the station. Traffic was fairly light but quickly coagulated and we once again found ourselves weaving between traffic and pedestrians, in what must be a daily dance with death for so many inhabitants of this strange land.

At the station we were immediately stopped by a guard who asked for our tickets. Leary of some sort of scam we were hesitant at first but soon a helpful police officer pointed out our platform. Happy with this assistance, we set off down the track.

When cries of 'Excuse Me!', in English, were heard behind us, though they could only have been for us (the lone Westerners on the platform), we dutifully ignored them, tired of being pried for money. At the gesticulations of others along the platform we finally turned, only to see two stern police officers walking towards us. They proved to only want to help us, and indeed one turned out to be most considerate, eventually leading us to the door of our car.

We had about an hour to spare, owing to our early departure, and saw multiple other trains come and go while drinking coffee and hot chocolate at a small cafe. These were of a different category than our train, having no AC and a more battered appearance, including locomotives with bars over the windshields. Passengers from these trains who found themselves exiting onto the wrong platform simply opened the opposite doors facing the tracks and walked across, clambering up the other side.

Once our train arrived, we were quickly ushered aboard by the helpful police officer, and settled down for the quick 10 hour (God willing) ride to Luxor. Seats were two and two across, with Tut 2 and Mummy occupying the two right seats, and Tut 1 (The Author) seated across the aisle next to an Egyptian. The train was similar to its modern (as opposed to wild) Western counterparts, though the toilets flushed directly onto the tracks, and as such passengers are discouraged to discharge their contents while sitting at stations.

As the train ride began, we passed much scenery similar to that of the previous day. Indeed, the landscape would not change substantially over our 900 kilometer journey, as we would hug the Nile the whole time. We had our tickets checked without any problems, and were surprised not to have to show our passports. These tickets were purchased online, as people say that tourists cannot purchase tickets for the day train in person at the station, but are forced to purchase the significantly more expensive night train tickets instead. These tickets cost $100 per person, and though that figure includes a meal and bed, we felt the grand total of $20 we spent for the day train was too good of a deal to miss.

At about the halfway point on our ride we stopped at a city called Asyut, where a number of pregnant women came aboard asking for alms. We were instantly swarmed, and The Author made the terrible mistake of letting a 50 pound note be seen as he fished a more reasonable 5 pounder from his pocket. One woman departed with the latter, while the other stood by my seat entreating me for the former. Now 50 pounds is really not much money for an American (about 3 dollars), but for a poor Egyptian is a considerable sum, and far above what a mendicant would normally get. The woman would not leave, and The Author finally procured a more reasonable amount from Tut 2 and mummy from across the aisle.

Later on two small boys came by with the same object, and I warned Mummy to keep an eye on the things on her tray table when I saw one snatch some peanuts from the table of a sleeping man in front of me. They inevitably stopped by us, and both went away happy with a 1 pound coin, and later sticks of gum on their return.

In addition to the regular food service, conducted by uniformed train personnel leading a cart ladened with sandwiches, at stops men would board and walk up and down the aisles toting goods. Some carried only a large tin pot and paper cups, while others carried snacks and the like. Some would simply deposit their goods on the lap or tray tables of random people along the carriage, apparently leaving them. Later, they would return, and take the items if untouched, and demand payment if otherwise (The Author never actually witnessed this, but doubts the items were complimentary). Fortunately I witnessed a local in front of my seat simply ignore his parcel until it was later picked back up before one was dropped on me (As in ignorance The Author would not have known what to expect on the seller's return, and probably would end up making a fool of Himself).

Many an hour passed, and aided by the GPS on our phone's, without which we would have been hard pressed to determine which station each stop was, we saw ourselves draw near our destination.

While waiting to leave the train, some un-uniformed men asked for our tickets, and we simply ignored them, as they may be part of the scam in which intelligence gleaned from the tickets prepares an accomplice to lie in wait with a sign beckoning us by name to their taxi.

At the station our troubles were not over, for we had to pass through a gauntlet of cab drivers and hotel managers while leaving the station. Some were extremely persistent, and followed us a ways emphasizing the economy of their hotel or cab fare.

We stopped to eat at a McDonald's, and were all much happy with a change in cuisine.
Leaving, we headed to the ferry to take us across the Nile to our Airbnb, and on the way passed Luxor Temple, which The Author will not expound on this post, as its length is already great, and only the most intrepid or devoted reader will likely get this far.

Once more we were accosted by peddlers offering horse and boat rides, but passed them all straight to the ferry, which we soon found ourselves in crossing over to the opposite bank, where without too much effort found our humble dwelling for the next few days here.

-Nathaniel

At the station

Off to Luxor!

When we were not going through cities, the landscape was filled with farmland speckled with trees. In the distance you can see the mountains which border the ancient floodplains. Beyond these rugged cliffs, which surrounded us for the entire trip after leaving Giza, is the barren desert.

Crossing the Nile

 

In the Luxor train station. Somewhere off to the side is a man lurking who followed us from the platform trying to sell us hotels and a taxi.

Traditional Egyptian McDonalds

Passing the Luxor Temple on the way to the ferry

Pylons and obelisk of the Luxor temple

Three Stellas on the balcony of our apartment to finish off the day

South to Saqqara, Dahshur, and Memphis

For our final day in Giza we ventured South to see several more pyramids as well as the ancient capital city of Memphis.

Our arrangements for a driver and a guide covered both days of our stay in Giza so we once again found ourselves riding south after a leisurely morning with the company of the same guide as the day before. This drive brought us up along the Nile in an apt precursor to our upcoming train ride to Luxor, through some smaller neighborhoods of Giza and eventually to the surprisingly verdant country side, which is speckled with date palms and farmlands.

First on our list of sites came the Saqqara necropolis, home to the famous Step Pyramid of Djoser as well as several other, smaller pyramids, and a slew of tombs and ceremonial structures, most of which are now in crumbling ruin.

This former monument is notable for being the first true pyramid, constructed nearly 70 years before the Great Pyramid of Giza in the Third Dynasty. It is believed to be an extension of the traditional mastaba, a rectangular tomb of one level and sloping sides. The Step Pyramid consisted of six of these structures of decreasing size stacked one upon the other, all encased with a smooth limestone covering which is now missing.

Visitors enter the complex through a colonnaded temple, consisting of original fragments and modern reconstructions. The early architectural nature of this structure can be seen from its columns, which are not free standing but joined to the exterior walls (the ability to create free standing columns not yet being in existence).

Upon entering the main courtyard we found the famous Step Pyramid to our left and the crumbling Pyramid of Unas to our right. Further to the left (north of our entry) are the remains of two more pyramids, those of Userkaf and Teti. All of these pyramids are merely fractions of the sizes of those at Giza, with Djoser's being comparable to the diminutive Third Pyramid of Menkaure and the others similar to those of the Queens.

Even further to the north (but south of the Giza Pyramids) is another cluster of pyramids which we did not visit. We believe these are the pyramids we saw in the distance from the Giza Plateau during our meander around that site on the previous day. The largest of these is the Pyramid of Neferirkare, a fifth dynasty monument slightly taller than the Third Pyramid in Giza.

These pyramids are easily visible from the Saqqara Necropolis, as are those at Dahshur to the south which we will describe presently. The Giza Pyramids were barely discernible through the hazy atmosphere in the distance. 

Rather than heading straight for the Step Pyramid we first went to examine the closer Pyramid of Unas. Despite its exterior being a crumbling pile and sand and rubble, this monument had the finest looking interior we had yet seen. While nowhere near as grand in size as that of the Great Pyramid, the walls of the three small rooms at the heart of this tomb are covered in columns of dense hieroglyphics. The ceilings of each room are likewise (albeit less densely) covered in star shaped symbols which mean 'adoration'.

Much impressed by these intricate and beautiful markings, especially after seeing nothing but the plain interiors of the Giza pyramids thus far, we spent many minutes poring over the interior of this stately tomb, recognizing only the tiniest fraction of these diverse characters. With a small amount of baksheesh the guard permitted us to take pictures of these intricate markings for future appreciation and study. Also visible on the walls with the aid of a light are the dim silhouettes of figures which appeared to have been formerly carved there in bass relief. Evidently these were written over with the hieroglyphics, leaving only the faintest indentations to show their forms (a little more baksheesh demonstrated our appreciation to the guard for revealing these hidden figures).

Upon exiting this tomb we ventured over to the Step Pyramid, which unfortunately does not permit visitors do to the uncertain nature of its structural stability. Beyond the Step Pyramid we saw the remains of more tombs and small temples as well as the aforementioned pyramids, one of which (Pyramid of Teti) we later entered to find an interior decorated similarly as that of Unas. 

Before leaving Saqqara we strolled through the small but informative Museum of Imhotep located near the entry (the pyramid complex was a short drive away up a winding uphill road). Imhotep is the architect credited with designing the Step Pyramid as well as some of the adjoining structures, and the museum named for him contains a variety of artifacts recovered from the site, including funerary equipment as well as ancient tools. The former category mainly consisted of statues and protective amulets, but several canopic jars and even a whole mummy were also displayed. The latter items included those for carving stones and even some medical implements (slender pieces of metal with sharp points). Unlike the Egyptian Museum, these exhibits were clearly labelled in multiple languages, but we were unfortunately not permitted to take pictures of the exhibits. 

During our inspection of these antiquities, we were all swarmed by a group of school girls also visiting the museum. For several minutes it seemed like we were the most interesting exhibit, although we were barely able to communicate our names (Theodore is particularly challenging; nobody seems to be able to reproduce or even comprehend the interdental fricative).

Our next stop brought us further south to Dahshur, home to three more notable pyramids. These include the imposing Red Pyramid, the distinctive Bent Pyramid, and the crumbling Black Pyramid.

Of these, the Red Pyramid, named for the red hue of its underlying granite blocks, is the largest, being in fact the third largest pyramid in Egypt after the First and Second pyramids of Giza.

The Bent Pyramid is notable for changing the angle of its slope halfway up its height; the initial incline of 54 degrees (modeled after that of the smaller Step Pyramid, when it was in fact a true pyramid) proved to be too steep creating structural instability and was replaced with a gentler slope of 43 degrees (which was used in all pyramids thereafter). The Bent Pyramid is also remarkable for still having much of its original limestone casing.

The Black Pyramid is now a crumbled black ruin, its core having been built from mud brick and clay rather than stone. We merely saw this worn tomb from afar, focusing our attention instead on its sturdier siblings.

Of these, only the Red Pyramid is open to the public, through a solitary entrance high up on a steep hill of rubble. A brisk climb brought us up to this void, which reveals a long steep tunnel reaching down into the depths of the tomb. This tunnel we found to be similar to that of the Great Pyramid but much longer, stretching to the very bowels of the structure. The end of this tunnel leads to not one but two corbelled chambers, not sloping like the Grand Gallery but flat and level, with high ceilings. The second such chamber contains the entry to the sarcophagus room, not in line with the floor but high up near the ceiling. An aging staircase crisscrossing up beneath this door allowed our entry. This final room itself is bare with a crumbled floor strewn with large boulders.

The smell of ammonia permeated the air as in the other pyramids, but stronger, and wooden floors were placed over those of the two corbelled chambers, perhaps because the original floors were as damaged as that of the final burial chamber.

We ended the day with a brief visit to the ancient capital of Memphis, which now contains but a few statues and ruins. These include several large statues of Ramses II that are still standing and a damaged but otherwise rather fine looking sphinx. Additionally we saw many stone fragments covered with more fascinating hieroglyphics.

The highlight of the park is the top portion of a truly colossal statue of Ramses which was toppled in ancient times, broken below the knees. The statue now rests on its back in a dedicated museum, until only relatively recently being half buried prone in the sand.

-Theodore

I was surprised by the lush landscape surrounding the Nile

Cows on the move

 These forests of palms and shrubs quickly gave way to barren desert as we entered Saqqara

Approaching the Saqqara Necropolis

 An example of the non-free standing columns; note the segment of stones that extends away from them towards the exterior walls.

Tut 2 and Mummy beyond the colonnade

The whole crew in front of the Step Pyramid of Djoser with one of our fellow Airbnb guests and his guide, who we passed leaving the complex.

The sorry remains of the Pyramid of Unas

 A portion of the hieroglyphics in the Unas' tomb. Note the many repetitions of his cartouche.

Another angle; note the stars on the ceiling.

The whole crew with ruins in the background. We are facing the Step Pyramid. On the horizon to the right the pyramids at Dahshur are visible (may be a little difficult to see in the picture).

A panoramic shot of the area. The Step Pyramid is on the left, that of Unas is on the right. To the left of the latter pyramid on the horizon are the two pyramids at Dahshur.

In front of the Red Pyramid. The entrance is to the right of Tut 1s head.

Hiking up to enter the tomb

The view from the near the entrance to the Red Pyramid. The Saqqara pyramids are visible in the distance.

Mummy descending into the tomb

The first corbelled chamber

The modern steps up to the entrance to the burial chamber in the second corbelled vault. Not sure how the ancient Egyptians got up there.

 

Tut 2 with what may be old British graffiti 

Looking down into the second corbelled chamber from the entrance to the burial room

In front of the Bent Pyramid. The Dahshur site is far more remote and secluded than Giza.

The Black Pyramid

Tut and Tut with the Sphinx in Memphis

 

Imposing statue of Ramses II with leg stepping forward to show his kingship and power.

The base of a  large column

Finely carved granite sarcophagus. From left to right: Thoth, Horus, Anubis, and possibly Sobek or Sehkmet 

The colossal statue of Ramses. The object in his right hand is a sign of his rank.