Articles

Akhenaten’s Akhetaten
A Day at Tell al-Amarna
Garry Shaw

Akhenaten is for many Egyptians something of a hero, a rebel with a distinct religious vision. In his lifetime, however, he was reviled by many as a megalomaniac and troublemaker. We take a day trip to the king’s purpose-built capital city, Tell al-Amarna.

The Continuity of Egyptian Culture
Gamal El-Ghitany

Egyptian history is often divided into eras: The Pharaonic, the Greek, the Coptic, the Islamic. What such divisions fail to convey are the strong currents of continuity linking the ancient to the modern.

The Moonlit: Al-Aqmar
Caroline Williams

Sharia al-Mu`izz li-Din Allah, or the Qasaba, is the great artery of Fatimid Cairo. For almost nine hundred years this ceremonial way was a favourite building site for those who held power. Each monument has a story to tell. Today, when the sun goes down and the lights come on, it is magic hour at the monuments.

Ismail’s Cairo Reborn?
Yasmine El Dorghamy

There’s been a lot of buzz surrounding Cairo’s khedivial city centre. Will the historic buildings be restored? Will they all be sold to private investors? We look at what’s in store for the city’s architectural treasure trove.

Decaying on the Tracks
Egyptian Railroad Heritage and the Dream of Preservation
Amr Nasr El-Din

Much of the nation’s railroad heritage lies in various stages of neglect, rotting in sheds or sidings, or in poorly maintained museum displays. With an injection of funds, and a little imagination, Egypt’s railroad heritage could turn into quite an investment.

In Search of the Lost City
Jill Kamil

Constructing the Great Pyramid at Giza was a massive task, requiring a labour force of perhaps 100,000 workers. Now archaeologists are unearthing the lost city in which they lived, complete with streets, barracks and bakeries.

Fustat Fakharin
Throwing Clay the Classic Way
Iman R. Abdulfattah

In the quiet backstreets of Old Cairo, a traditional art is being lovingly revived. Craftsmen are once more creating pottery and ceramic designs drawn from their nation’s rich heritage.

Museum Arte-Factoids
Mennat-Allah El Dorry

Egypt is overflowing with museums, and each overflows with its own set of trivia. To fill you in, below are some of the most intriguing, yet little-known facts about Egypt’s museums.

Cairo Tales:
Bab al-Sha’ria
Hoda El Kolaly

Among the many fascinating districts of Cairo is that of Bab al-Sha’ria. Once home to the city’s elite, it soon became home to a bustling community of craftsmen, traders and entertainers. Not only was it a hub for a diversity of trades, it was also a melting pot for people of many ethnicities.

Coffee with the Pasha
The Story of Egypt's Most Famous Massacre
Amr S. Talaat

Mohamed Ali Pasha’s career as ruler of Egypt started out with a decisive and bloody act. Inviting his rivals to enjoy coffee and entertainment at the Citadel, he then had every last one of them slaughtered.

Transmutations
Borrowing from the Past to Speak of the Present
Yasmine El Rashidi

Egyptian artist Huda Lutfi is considered a pioneer of the movement of bridging past and present through contemporary art, and part of a growing circle of artists appropriating historic texts, symbols and icons into contemporary expressions.

Let there be Music!
Musical Instruments in Ancient Egypt
Eva Dadrian

Many of the instruments used by Egyptian musicians today have their roots in Pharaonic times, from drums and cymbals through to lutes, harps and trumpets.