The Middle East is a magical land; The civilization of the Middle East has a long history and far-reaching influence. Here, the ancient Egyptian civilization and the civilization of the two river basins were born. These two civilizations have had an important impact on the development of mankind. It is the birthplace of many religions and cultures. Islam, religion, Judaism, etc., these religions and cultures have a profound impact on global politics and culture.
It has the world's richest oil reserves and is one of the world's largest oil and gas producing regions. These resources play a vital role in the functioning of the global economy. It is also located at the intersection of Asia, Africa and Europe, and is a key geopolitical zone and an arena for great power competition.
Recently, Mr. Yang Xiaoguang participated in a 21-day cruise to the Middle East. Along the way, he wrote several essays about what he saw, heard, felt, and thought. Let's follow the author's gaze to appreciate the scenery and customs of the Middle East.
Click to view the "Walking in the Middle East" series of articles.
A landmark in the history of human civilization - Luxor, Egypt.
A cruise in the Middle East, Luxor is the last stop on your trip to Egypt. The cruise ships cross the Suez Canal to the port of Safaga on the eastern coast of Egypt on the Red Sea. After driving for more than two hours through the barren eastern desert from here, we saw a touch of green in the distance, and our intuition told us that the Nile had arrived. To the Nile, Luxor is not far away. Drive south along the Nile for more than an hour to reach Luxor, known as "the world's largest open-air museum".
Located in south-central Egypt, Luxor is a city rich in history and culture. Around 3100 BC, it was the capital of the Old Kingdom of Egypt. In 2580 BC, during the reign of the pharaohs Kafra and Menkara of the Kafra dynasty, Luxor became the political, economic, and cultural center of Egypt. It is here that the Nile divides Luxor, the world's longest river flowing from south to north into the Mediterranean, has seen the city rise and fall.
The car crossed a bridge across the Nile River to the Valley of the Kings on the west bank. From a distance, a pyramid-shaped mountain peak looms ahead. The east and west valleys of the mountain peak buried a large number of pharaohs and nobles, so it is called the "Valley of the Kings".
Valley of the Kings Courtesy of the author.
Valley of the Kings, a place full of mysteries, no one knows its ins and outs. It was once a majestic burial complex, with a total of 64 imperial tombs. Here, famous pharaohs such as Thutmose I, Ramses II and others are buried. In 1922, an archaeological team led by British archaeologist Howard Carter discovered the entrance to the tomb of the ancient Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun, and more than 5,000 precious artifacts and artworks used to accompany the young king were displayed to the world. One of the most striking is a sarcophagus with three nested coffins, the last of which is a mask wearing Tutankhamun weighing 11 kilograms and decorated with lapis lazuli and various precious stones. This ** mask is one of the most beautiful and complete treasures of ancient Egyptian art to date, and one of the most expensive artifacts in the world. The only pharaonic tomb that has never been stolen and is listed as one of the greatest archaeological discoveries of the 20th century that shocked the whole world. To this day, the Egyptian Museum, which displays Tutankhamun's funerary goods, remains the most popular pavilion.
The Valley of the Kings is made of hard limestone. For 500 years, since Pharaoh Thutmose I (1545-1515 BC) dug tunnels here as tombs, pharaohs continued to construct their cave mausoleums in this valley in this way. The largest of these mausoleums is the Tomb of Seti I of the 19th Dynasty, which is 210 meters from the entrance to the final chamber, and a huge rock cave has been dug into an underground palace. Unfortunately, most of these tombs have been stolen and many precious artifacts have been lost. Fortunately, the frescoes on the walls and ceiling of the tombs, as well as the hieroglyphs, are largely well preserved.
Pharaoh's Mausoleum Murals Courtesy of the author.
Ancient Egyptian text on the murals of the pharaoh's tomb Courtesy of the author.
The walls and ceilings of the mausoleum are covered with frescoes, which is the biggest attraction of the Valley of the Kings. Walking into the mausoleum, wandering through it is like entering a mysterious time tunnel, where scenes of Egyptian life thousands of years ago are revealed one by one. The goddess of the sky wears stars, gives birth to the sun and the moon, traverses the sky, and shows the cycle of day and night; Pharaoh, accompanied by the sun god, traveled through the underworld in a solar ship and was reborn the next day; The emperors were dressed in splendid costumes, with intricate headdresses and scepters, with solemn expressions and deep and sharp eyes; The soldiers rode horses, armed with bows and arrows, and chased their prey; On the sacrificial ground, the emperors wore sacrificial robes, held sacrifices, and prayed to the gods sincerely; In the banquet hall, the emperors sit on ornate thrones, surrounded by dancers and musicians, enjoy happy hours, and so on. The smooth lines, concise and harmonious brushwork, and the vivid human figures, which are still as vivid as ever after thousands of years, not only demonstrate the superb skills of the ancient Egyptian painters, but also reflect the level of productivity of that period, people's lives, beliefs and understanding of nature. These murals, of course, have become the treasures of human civilization, providing rich information and important perspectives for future generations to learn the history of human civilization.
The Valley of the Kings has witnessed the birth and demise of one glorious dynasty after another. Standing here, it is as if you can touch the heartbeat of an ancient civilization.
Leaving the rocky and sand-strewn lifeless Valley of the Kings to the Nile, you will find a completely different picture. The clear river water flows slowly from the side, the river cruise is like weaving, the green trees on both sides are shady, and the fields are fragrant with melons and fruits, a scene full of vitality.
Boats on the Nile in Egypt Courtesy of the author.
Take a boat ride to the east bank of the river and first come to the world-famous Luxor Temple. Located in the heart of Luxor, this Egyptian New Kingdom period (1550 BC to 1070 BC) is one of the grandest and most spectacular temples in Ancient Egypt and one of the largest in the world.
Temple of Luxor Courtesy of the author.
In this vast temple complex, temples, porticoes, courtyards, and a large hall dedicated to the god Amun are located. When you walk into the temple, the first thing that catches your eye is the majestic colonnades. The stone pillars, which are 20 meters high and more than 3 meters in diameter, are neatly arranged, and the pillars are carved with elaborate reliefs depicting scenes from life and mythological stories in ancient Egypt.
Stone pillars of the Luxor Temple Courtesy of the author.
The stone pillars are neatly arranged Courtesy of the author.
Exquisite reliefs on stone pillars Courtesy of the author.
The main part of the temple, the main hall, is richly decorated, with walls inlaid with colorful stone slabs with images of various gods and pharaohs. The main hall** is a huge stone altar that shows the reverence and devotion of the ancient Egyptians to the gods.
Statue of the god in front of the Luxor Temple Courtesy of the author.
In the deepest part of the temple, there is a huge 15-meter-high stone statue of the ancient Egyptian god Amun, one of the largest stone statues in the ancient world. The god Amun was one of the most important gods of ancient Egypt, representing the universe, order, and unity.
1. At the same time, he is also a deity of military, wealth, and wisdom. The solemn and mysterious expression on his face seemed to tell a story from thousands of years ago. Whenever a new pharaoh ascended the throne, a ceremony was held here to unite the pharaoh with the aura of the sun god.
Temple of Karnak Courtesy of the author.
The Temple of Karnak, is another spectacular temple left over from the ancient Egyptian Empire. This temple was built more than 3,900 years ago, from the Theban Dynasty began to build, after several generations of pharaohs up to 1,500 years of construction, to the New Kingdom period reached the highest peak, the temple has more than 20 large and small temples, covering an area of nearly 1,000 acres. This is one of the most important temples in ancient Egypt and the largest temple complex in the world. The temple consists of three main halls, which are the Temple of Amun, the Temple of Muth, and the Temple of Harula. These three halls are connected to each other to form a huge complex.
The towering stone pillars of the Temple of Karnak Courtesy of the author.
Approaching the Karnak Temple, there is a road of rams lined with sphinx heads. Through the Avenue of the Rams, a magnificent city gate emerges, in front of which stands an eight-metre-high stone statue of Ramses II, with a statue of the queen engraved between his legs, creating a sense of awe.
The most magnificent building is the Temple of Amun. With a height of 43 meters, a width of 103 meters, and a length of 187 meters, the main hall is one of the largest stone buildings in the world. The hall is lined with 134 huge stone pillars. Standing under each 21-meter-high stone pillar that can be hugged by 8 people and can accommodate 50 people standing on it, your heart will be shocked or shocked. The stone pillars are engraved with exquisite patterns and hieroglyphs, the tragic scenes of war, the happy scenes of pastoral life, the intimate interaction between the gods and the pharaohs, and the wishes of the pharaohs, etc., like magnificent pictures, which are presented to people one by one through the millennium.
Magnificent obelisk Courtesy of the author.
Two towering obelisks inside the temple pierce the sky. They are carved from a single block of stone, one of which is 29 meters tall and weighs 323 tons, carved with the motif of the god Amun and the queen, built for Queen Hatshepsut. It was not only the tallest obelisk at that time, but also the tallest obelisk in Egypt today. The gray-white color, the exquisite reliefs and inscriptions, and the high spire, which give a sense of solemnity and sacredness, became an important symbol of the Karnak Temple.
View of the Karnak Temple Courtesy of the author.
The temple was a place of religion, political activities, and social life of the ancient Egyptians. For them, the temple is a dwelling place for a god, a home for a god; A temple is a school, a hospital; The temple is also a place for hilarity. They hold various grand rituals here to pray for the blessings and gifts of the gods. On the huge stone altar inside the temple, various sacrificial items are placed. The annual festival of Opat is held here, when people carry an idol of Lord Amun and procession from the Temple of Luxor to the Temple of Karnak. The papyrus records that when the ancient Egyptians celebrated the festival, people would stay up late at the temple until 2 a.m.
The square in front of the temple, the sun shines on the ancient stone pillars Courtesy of the author.
Standing in front of this majestic temple, you will not want to leave for a long time. The square in front of the temple is wide and tranquil, and the sunlight shines on the ancient stone pillars, glowing with gold. Close your eyes and feel as if you can hear the echoes of history. Immerse yourself in this solemn and sacred atmosphere, and you will have a sense of transcending time and space. Standing on the land, which accounts for one-third of the world's cultural relics of the same period, you can look back on the footprints of human civilization so clearly, and you can also look forward to the future of human development. 4,000 years ago, mankind created such a splendid civilization here. In front of these majestic buildings and exquisite art, even people who have entered the AI era today can't help but express their heartfelt admiration! Human civilization can be today, and it cannot be said that the ancient Egyptians have made an important contribution.
If I had to choose some of the best places in the world to visit, I would vote for Luxor without hesitation. Undoubtedly, it is an important landmark in the history of human civilization! (Written by Yang Xiaoguang).