Part 11 (2/2)
The ascent of the pyramid is an easy task for any one in good physical condition and accustomed to gymnastic work. Two Bedouins a.s.sist you from the front while an ancient Sheik is supposed to help push you from the rear. In my case the Bedouins had a very easy job, while the Sheik enjoyed a sinecure. The stones are about a yard high, and the only difficulty of the ascent lies in the straddle which must be made to cover these stones. The ascent is made on the northeast corner of the pyramid, and much help is gained by inequalities in the great slabs of limestone which enable one to get a foothold. Two rests were made on the upward climb, but we came down without any rest, covering the whole trip in about fifteen minutes.
The view from the summit is superb. On two sides, the south and west, sketches the sandy desert, broken only by the groups of pyramids at Abusir, Sakkara and Dashhur, which mark the bounds of the ancient city of Memphis.
The average tourist has more curiosity about the Sphinx than about the pyramids, and here the reality is not disappointing. An impressive figure is this of a rec.u.mbent stone lion one hundred and eighty-seven feet long and sixty-six feet high, with a man's head that is full of power and pride. The nose is gone and the face is badly scarred, but here is the typical Egyptian face, with the fine setting of the eyes and the graceful head.
The journey to the rock tombs of Sakkara and the site of ancient Memphis is tedious, as it includes a ride across the sandy desert of eighty miles. A stop is made at the old house of Mariette, the famous French Egyptologist, who uncovered many of the finest remains in Memphis. Near by is the Step pyramid, the tomb of a king of the fifth dynasty and one of the oldest monuments in Egypt.
Near by are several pyramids and tombs that will repay a visit, as each gives some new idea of the extraordinary care taken by the ancient Egyptians to preserve their dead and to a.s.sure them proper guidance in the land beyond the tomb.
In one chapel are exquisitely carved mural reliefs, many of which still retain their original colors. In these chambers the hot, dry air is like that of the desert. A hundred years seem like a day in this atmosphere, where nothing changes with the changing seasons. Under one's feet is the soft, dry dust stirred up by the feet of many tourists, but rain and suns.h.i.+ne never penetrate this home of the dead, and a century pa.s.ses without leaving a mark on these inscriptions which were chiseled long before the children of Israel made their escape from bondage in Egypt.
It seems incredible that so many momentous things should have occurred while in these still, warm tombs day followed day without change.
[Ill.u.s.tration: PLATE LVII
A Typical Street in Old Cairo.
These Buildings Show the Architecture of Cairo, With a Mosque on the Left With Dome and Minaret]
[Ill.u.s.tration: PLATE LVIII
An Arab Cafe In One of Cairo's Streets.
The Open Air Cafes, Facing the Sidewalk, Abound In Cairo.
The Smokers and Coffee-Drinkers Pay No Attention to Pa.s.sers-by]
[Ill.u.s.tration: PLATE LIX
Women Water Carriers in Turkish Costume.
One of These Women is Uncovered, While the Other Wears the Yashmak or Face Mask.
They Carry Large Water Jars on Their Heads]
[Ill.u.s.tration: PLATE LX
The Rameseon at Karnak.
Six Colossal Statues of Rameses II of Which Three Are in Fair Preservation]
[Ill.u.s.tration: PLATE LXI
The Avenue of Sphinxes at Karnak.
The Road From Luxor to Karnak Was Lined With Rec.u.mbent Rams, Called Krio-Sphinxes, Many of Which Still Remain]
[Ill.u.s.tration: PLATE LXII
An Arab Village on the Nile. This Is a Typical Village, the Houses of Sun-dried Brick, like the California Adobe, and the Whole Shaded By Palms]
[Ill.u.s.tration: PLATE LXIII
The Colossi of Memnon, near Thebes.
These Gigantic Figures on the West Bank of the Nile May Be Seen for Many Miles. They are Sixty-five Feet High, and Stood Originally in Front of a Temple]
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