Articles

A Lifetime in Solitary
Early Hermits of the Egyptian Deserts
Karel Innemée

Though dedicated to tradition, Egypt's modern monks live quite radically different lives from the first Christian hermits, who disappeared into the desert to retreat from society almost two millennia ago. We explore how monastic life has changed and why.

Burning History
Egypt's Coptic Heritage in Peril
Eva Dadrian

The recent destruction of more than forty Coptic churches across Egypt highlights the need to document and preserve these historic monuments.

The Long and Interwoven
History of Egyptian Textiles
Seif El Rashidi

With a history stretching back almost two thousand years, the importance of Egypt's textile industry is reflected in medieval documents, the diversity of preserved textiles – some referencing Pharaonic motifs and classical legends – and even in family names.

Beautiful Wounds:
The World of Traditional Egyptian Tattoos
Emmanuelle Perrin

Much more than simple body adornments, traditional Egyptian tattoos incorporate complex meanings and evoke tales of knights, seductresses and animals in a multicolour world of the imagination.

Redefining Home
Coptic Immigrants Sing Taratīl in Toronto's Diaspora
Carolyn Ramzy

Oceans away from their country, Toronto’s Coptic community strives to create a home away from home. Their musical heritage brings comfort and keeps them connected.

The Children of Port Said 1956/2013
RAWI

After having discovered a series of children’s paintings depicting war scenes from 1956, RAWI invited Port Said's children once more to express themselves through art and tell us about their lives over the two years following the revolution of 25 January.

The Sednaouis of Egypt
Yasmine El Dorghamy and May El Tabbakh

Before being nationalized under President Nasser, the Sednaoui Khazindar department store held a special place in the hearts of generations of Cairenes. This is the story of the family that created that legacy.

Recreating Tutankhamen's Tomb
The Work of Factum Arte in Egypt
Adam Lowe and James Macmillan-Scott

Since the opening of Tutankhamen's burial chamber in 1923, the painted scenes have deteriorated. Now, a facsimile tomb, made using the latest 3D scanning technology, could provide the key to saving this tomb, as well as others in the Valley of the Kings and Queens.

Icons of The Ordinary
The Art of Guirgis Lotfy
Sama Waly

To produce his stunning representations of modern daily life, Egyptian artist Guirguis Lotfy employs traditional techniques of Coptic art, ensuring the transmission of this unique craft to future generations.

The Coptic Ourbana and its Wooden Seals
Art, Heritage and Ritual
Ola Seif

Before Coptic mass, wooden seals are used to stamp the holy communion bread. These seals are made in different sizes and display great variety in design, whilst still incorporating traditional symbols, layout and shape. Reflecting Coptic Christianity's long history, today they have also become collectors' items.