middle east

[tropicalb]

THANKS Steve!

those pics of the slopes are awesome!

I hear that they are supposed to also put one of the largest wave pools ever constructed there someplace....You are correct; aside from some of the major structures, every other building sort of borders on the dull and conventional, not unlike a LOT of the architecture here in Southern California. I see where you get the word "piles"....

I GOTTA see the Burj Al Arab in person some day....but i think i'll wait until they get all the landscaping done in dubai first.

thanks again for the pics Steve!

[simona]

Simona

Let me see if I can explain what I mean. When you go inside this tomb, it is not terribly large. Not counting his

wife or son's areas, there are probably only a half dozen chambers or so dedicated to Mere-Ruka. In these rooms,

there is a continuous running bas relief carved in limestone plaster running from about knee high to waist or chest

high - most everything above was destroyed by the collapse of the building. The monumental figures were high up

on the wall. What is left are small figures, probably an average standing man at 6"-8" tall. They are arranged in

narrative bands describing daily life in 6th Dynasty Old Kingdom Egypt.

In one scene, there is a fishing scene where it shows how they used cast and seine nets. There is a fellow on a

boat fishing with a line rigged with five fish hooks on it! Underneath the scene, there are determinative carvings of

the various species of fish they ate out of the Nile (a majority looked like catfish of various sorts). Probably 25

different fish are shown. They are so correct and detailed that modern Biologists immediately recognize each species.

The one or two that are unknown are thought to be extinct or made so in Egypt by damming the Nile.

In another scene, it shows how herders coax a herd of cattle across the river by carrying the "bell cow's" calf ahead.

Of course, the bell cow follows along with the rest of the herd. One cow gets caught by a crocodile and in her panic

defecates as the crocodile pulls her under the water.

Another scene showed dwarf metal workers smelting gold. Apparently, dwarfs were used due to the fact that they

couldn't out-run their overseers. Even though we think of much of Egyptian art as "conventional" in the sense of

faces in profile with eyes in full-face, anatomical proportions, etc. conventions are used, the dwarfs were absolutely

anatomically correct. That is, they varied in proportion of limbs and heads just as in life.

A final scene shows a party with all the "dance moves" so clearly depicted that my wife and I stood there and

mimicked them. In one, two people stand with their hands over their heads with hands clasped and twirl in opposite

directions - kinda like a ballet move. It's not easy, but you can do it! It's fun too. I guess they were tanked up on

Egyptian beer.

Steve

Hi Steve,

Thank you for your detailed description.

I took the time to think about it and it's really amazing how you guys had the opportunity to study those narrative bands and your efforts to understand their culture. Dialogue between civilizations is not possible without our willingness of understanding.

I suppose that for the first time, these people were not the objectified subjects of study to me. For the first time,

I could finally feel the flesh on their ancient bones. From the wall art, all of their humanity came through as clear as

day. You get a real sense of their humor and love of life.

Steve

"... they stand face to face strong in their values, with no fear for their identities."

Huntington wrote in 1996: “The history of mankind is the history of civilizations. … In the course of history it was civilizations that gave people the broadest framework for defining their own identity.”

[weldertom]

Good stuff Steve....

I am here in Saudi Arabia ( Yanbu Industrial City) right now and will be for another 6 months or so....

Not easy to take pictures, but there is plenty to photograph.

I hope to be able to share a few things soon...........

[Musi]

Good stuff Steve....

I am here in Saudi Arabia ( Yanbu Industrial City) right now and will be for another 6 months or so....

Not easy to take pictures, but there is plenty to photograph.

I hope to be able to share a few things soon...........

Please share them with us, I am looking forward to see them!