Gebel el-Silsila

Welcome to Gebel el-Silsila, a place where the very bone of Egypt was extracted to build the flesh of its greatest temples. Located about 65 kilometers north of Aswan, this is where the Nile narrows dramatically, flanked by high…

Our first major stop is the Speos of Horemheb, a rock-cut temple that is as much a political statement as it is a religious one. Horemheb, the general who became pharaoh, used this site to declare that he was 'restoring things to…

Further along the cliff face, we encounter a series of smaller shrines or 'cenotaphs' dedicated by the great kings of the 19th and 20th Dynasties, particularly Ramesses II and Ramesses III. These shrines served as symbolic…

One of the most important non-royal figures at Gebel el-Silsila is Prince Khaemwaset, the fourth son of Ramesses II. He is often called the first Egyptologist because of his passion for identifying and restoring the monuments of…

As we walk through the open-air quarry zones, we can literally follow in the footsteps of the ancient workers. Look at the walls where blocks have been removed; you can see the marks of the chisels and the vertical channels used…

The geography of Gebel el-Silsila is as important as its archaeology. This is the narrowest point of the Nile in all of Egypt, a place where the river is squeezed between the cliffs. …

In addition to the massive royal monuments, Gebel el-Silsila is covered in 'graffiti'—but not in the modern sense. These are formal dedications by scribes, artists, and low-level officials who wanted to record their presence at…

As we conclude our tour of Gebel el-Silsila, take one last look at the massive vertical walls of the quarries. It is here that the physical reality of ancient Egypt is most tangible. …