Study
& Travel JOURNEY TO EGYPT
Jan 9-21 2005
Perhaps no other civilization has so thoroughly captured
the hearts and minds of the western world as that of the
Ancient Egyptians. As humankind emerged from its early ‘adolescence’ on
the road to civilized ‘adulthood’, Ancient
Egyptian culture and society was there to lead the way.
This ancient land became the known world’s leader
in art and architecture, science and industry, religion
and philosophy.
Yet today, has struggled to enter into the 21st Century world.
The impact of western civilization began to make its mark
slowly. As we examine modern Egypt we will trace these developments
as well.
TBA 2 meetings Fall 2005 Introduction, Course Requirements
1 independent interview FALL 2005- to pick a research topic.
11
Jan Introduction to Ancient Egypt. 2 hr visit to the
Cairo Museum. Explore the treasures of 5000 years of history.
Minority religion in Egypt. Visit the Coptic Christian and Jewish Quarters.
Tour the El Muallake Coptic Church, visit the Coptic Museum, visit the Ben
Ezra Synagogue. 3 hrs.
Evening discussion on Coptic Egyptian Christianity and Egyptian Judaism. 1
hr
12 Jan Travel to the Old Kingdom Capital of Memphis, 30 km
south of Cairo. Study the nature of Egypt during its Pre-Dynastic
and I-II Dynasty Eras of 3700-2900 BCE. 1 hr. Cross the
Nile Valley to the necropolis of Sakkara, the City of the
Dead for the III,V,VI Dynasties. Study the burial practices
of the III Dynasty via the complex of Djoser and the VI
Dynasty of Unas. 1.5 hrs
Travel to Giza and the IV Dynasty pyramid builders. Study architectural techniques
involved in their construction. Enter the Khafre and Menkaure pyramids. View
the Valley Temple and Sphinx Complex. 2.5 hrs.
Evening, Sound and Light Show at Giza. 1.5 hrs
13
Jan Visit Manial Palace of the 19th-20th Century Egyptian
Monarchy. Discussion on the role of British Colonialism and
Egypt. 2 hrs. Visit botanical gardens of el-Gezira and ascend
the el-Borg Tower for panoramic views of Cairo. Discussion
on the nature of Cairo as “Um el Dunya”, “Mother
of the World”- the nature of the Arab city. 2 hrs Fly to Luxor, board Nile cruiser, MS Tulip. 14
Jan Morning visit to the Karnak and Luxor Temples. (Karnak
architecture 1.25 hrs, sculpture 1 hr, hieroglyphics 1 hr,
self-study .5 hr---- Luxor architecture .75 hr, sculpture
.5 hr, inscriptions .5 hr, self-study .5 hr) PM set sail for Esna. On board lecture about ancient Egyptian
religion
1 hr. Evening discussion on Nubian Egyptian culture, 1 hr. 15
Jan Sail south to Edfu, and visit the Temple of Horus,
a Ptolemaic era complex. This is the only totally complete
temple of ancient Egypt- from floor to roof. Tour the complex,
exploring the architectural and sculptural splendor of this
home of the falcon god on earth. 2 hrs.
Evening lecture on about Islam. 1.5 hrs. 16
Jan Continue to sail south to Kom Ombo and the Ptolemaic
twin temple complex of Sobek and Haroeris, the crocodile
god of the Nile and protector god of the pharaoh. 1.5 hrs.
Arrive at Aswan. Evening lecture, Aswan Dam, international
politics and economics. 1 hr. 17
Jan Fly to Abu Simbel and examine the role of the Aswan
High Dam on the ecology and economics of modern day Egypt.
Tour the renowned temple of Ramses II. Study the methods
and techniques involved in the monumental task of reconstruction
and restoration of the monument that took place 1961-1970.
3 hrs.
Tour the High and Old Dams of Aswan, great engineering
marvels of the 20th Century.1 hr. Proceed to the granite
quarries of Aswan. Discuss the sculptural techniques of
ancient Egypt, as well as the technology of stone masonry
and transportation. 1.5 hrs. Sail the Nile and study the flora of the Nile Valley via
the botanical gardens of Kitchener’s Island. 1 hr.
Sail to Elephantine Island and view the archaeological remains
of the Ptolemaic Dynasty of the 3rd-1st Centuries BCE. Learn
of the early 5th Century BCE Jewish community that existed
on the island. 1 hr.
18 Jan Sail to the Island of Philae and the Temple of Isis.
Explore this outstanding example of Ptolemaic/Roman architecture
and the reconstruction and restoration of the complex after
being moved due to the flooding of the High Dam. 2.5 hrs.
PM Camel ride into the desert, visit San Simeon Coptic
Monastery- discussion on Monastic Coptic Christianity. 2
hrs. Proceed to Nubian village and observe Nubian life and
culture at home of Mohamed Hassan; Nubian boatman. 2 hrs. Evening, Sound and Light at Philae, 2 hrs. 19
Jan Sail north to the Esna Lock and Dam on the way to
Luxor. On board lecture concerning MidEast politics, Arab-Israeli
Conflict. 2 hrs. Late morning/PM Journey to the West Bank Necropolis of
the New Kingdom. Tour 3 tombs in the Valley of the Kings
and examine the architecture and relief sculpture, 2.5 hrs.
Independent study time, .5 hrs.
Proceed to Mortuary Temple of Queen Hatshepsut, Deir el Bahari. Study the architecture
of this temple engaged in the mountainside, 1 hrs. Lecture on the relief story
of her Expedition to Punt, .5 hr.
Proceed to visit 3 Tombs of Nobles near Qurna, 1.5 hrs.
Proceed to Ramesseum of Ramesses II and Colossae of Memnon, 1 hr Evening, Sound and Light at Karnak, 1.5 hrs. 20
Jan Journey into the countryside by carriage to the Coptic
Christian Village of Ngaa el Syagh. Visit the Church of St.
George and the medical clinic. Discussion with the Italian
nuns about rural life in modern Egypt, healthcare and education.
4 hrs.
Afternoon flight to Cairo.
21 Jan Return to US/
60.5 contact hrs. TEXTS: Aldred, C., The Egyptians
Gardiner, A., Egypt of the Pharaohs
Smith, W.S., The Art and Architecture of Ancient Egypt
PLUS: specially prepared study guide GRADE EVALUATION: Because the texts, lectures and on-site tours all complement
each other; attendance is imperative. You will lose 5% of
your grade for each unexcused absence from a program unit
(on-site tours, lectures, discussions- ANY component counts
as a unit). In addition, you will be evaluated through the participation
process. A daily journal will be kept that will be a reflection
of your understanding of the key elements of our study of
Egypt. Throughout the course of the day, I will make suggestions
as to avenues that you should approach in your writing. You
will write this journal in a single-sided page format; leaving
the opposite page blank for me to comment in and address
questions that you may have asked. A significant element
of the journal should address the research topic that you
have chosen and how the day’s journey may (or may not)
have elements integral to your paper. It will be reviewed
on a nightly basis and returned in the morning. Group discussions, and one-on-one interviews will be conducted
during the course of the program and in follow-up exit interviews
upon our return. It is expected that students will actively
participate in these discussions, sharing their insights
both with one another and me- reflections of the day’s
events. They will not be held daily, but alternately when
a lecture is not on schedule. There will be a research project turned in as a paper. The
topic of the research project will be chosen in a meeting
held late Fall 2005 prior to departure. It will be either
a 12 pp. paper with all the necessities of a research paper
like bibliography and footnotes or the equivalent in a POWERPOINT
Presentation. A considerable portion of your research should
include your first hand impressions of the material that
you came face to face with, presented in conjunction with
your collated research data. Imagery is an essential part
in archaeological/historical/art historical research. As
a result, you should keep your eyes open for paper-specific
images that will enhance your project. They should be included
in the final work. The topic of the research will be a broad-based subject
pertaining to some aspect of Egypt that spans the length
and breadth of the study tour. In other words, the topic
will address a subject that will arise in our itinerary several
times over the 11 days in Egypt. An example of this may be as follows: “The Architecture of Death in Ancient Egypt”-
This topic would be addressed in the following components
of our journey 1) Cairo Museum, 2) The Coptic Museum, 3)
Necropolis of Sakkara, 4) Giza Pyramid Complex, 5) Abu Simbel,
6) Qubbet el Hawa Tombs, 7) Valley of the Kings and Queens,
8) Ramesseum, 9) Deir el Bahri, 10) Medinat Habu, 11) Tombs
of the Nobles. Other suggestions include: Religious architecture, palace
architecture, mummification, effects of the Aswan Dam on
the archaeology of the Nile Valley, minority religion in
Egypt, technology of ancient Egypt (stone masonry, shipbuilding,
sculpting, jewelry/metalworking,etc)
Grade scale is based on 10% increments (90-100% =A, 80-89=B
etc)
On-site observance/journal/exit interviews 30%
Map exam 10%
Research 60%
MAP EXAM PLACES TO IDENTIFY
Areas/Places Cities/Sites
Nubia Cairo Rosetta
Lower Egypt Alexandria Dashur
Fayum Ismailia Gerf Hussein
Quattara Depression Luxor Tanis
Delta Aswan Giza
Lake Nasser El Amarna Meidum
Sinai Edfu Philae
Red Sea Abu Simbel
Mt. Sinai Kom Ombo
First Cataract Sakkara
Upper Egypt Abydos
Second Cataract Beni Hassan
Bahariyya Depression Memphis
Sahara Desert Serabit el-Khadem
Eastern Desert Naqada
Suez Canal
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