aswan

Aswan Nubia door
Aswan, in fact, seems close to half-open door of East Africa. The Nile swirls and becomes more fluid. Winds between the islands and the black rocks which disturb its slow majesty, and challenges the high dunes of golden sand to bury forever. The barges, with their great triangular sails, the travel lazily from bank to bank and island isla.Los Friday, a barge on the river brings impetuous youth groups cheerful laugh and sing to the beat of the drums and tambourines, while others will respond from the ledge of the Nile By nightfall, they encourage the cafes along the River. On nights when there is football game, hundreds of men drag on front glasses of tea, staring at the old TVs. To the smallest action of his favorite team, cheer, yell and argue.


The city, on the right bank of the river, it was in ancient trade center with Nubia. You can no longer find in their streets or ivory or precious woods, but the third city of Egypt is full of scents and spices coming directly from the south. The souk presents the colors and scents of the Sudanese market. Nubian population, recognizable by the black color of their skin, it follows an indolent dignity and grace that are the charm of the Sudanese. Are in fact many who vinierno to settle in Aswan. The women wear a long and colorful light veil with which they wrap the body.


Nubia
Lived on the river, and disappeared after the domestication of river. Nubia is the region south of Aswan today is drowned in the waters of Lake Nasser. It spread to Khartoum, the capital of Sudan. The northern boundary between Egypt and Nubia in the south, was the first cataract, cataract Asuán.La rocky region, all bordering the Nile provider, lived to the rhythm of flooding and silt that allowed the crops. Years that some try to decipher the mystery. Remains dating from the fifth millennium BC, ostrich eggs, for example, attest the existence of travel to the south. Ever since the unification of ancient Egypt, it extended its domination of the small southern neighbor, exploiting subsoil mostly filled with gold. The name "Nubia" is in fact a word that in ancient Egyptian, nominated the precious metal. This province also come in leopard skins, incense and plants aromáticas.En the Middle Kingdom, during the reign of Mentuhotep II, was conquered the northern part of the region. But in the south reign sovereign even Kush. From the capital, Kerma, and can resist its powerful northern neighbor. Will eventually be defeated and brought to the New Empire, before taking advantage of the anarchy that reigned in Thebes, which will eventually take over. Even go to Memphis, and the kingdom of the black pharaohs lasts until the invasion of the Assyrians from the north. The Kushite retreat southward in Meroe, where we still find traces of their civilization.


Nubian territory was divided once again, later on, when settlers established the border between Egypt and Sudan in the nineteenth century. But for a long time, survived the nostalgia in the heart and soul of some egipcios.Con successive dams on the Nile in Aswan, the inhabitants had to mostly abandon their villages, now under the waters, others located further north ( in the area of Kom Ombo, for example), where they tried to preserve their identity, at least at the architectural level.


Nubia Museum
The Nubians are here official recognition of their identity, the essence of his story, now drowned beneath the waters of Lake Nasser, and his civilización.Los two architects, an Egyptian and a Mexican, managed to build one of the most beautiful museums Egypt. The building is nice and spacious exhibition halls are linked together perfectly. They traces the history of Nubian civilization from prehistory to the present day, with some rooms saved from the waters at the time of construction of large dam.


Just after the entrance, an interactive terminal, in Arabic and English, can display a map of the museum. On the right, a very dark room is devoted to temporary exhibitions. In the basement, a huge model allows the geographical location of Nubia. Behind her, a colossal statue of Ramses II welcomes the visitor, with his eternal smile. It is best to start the tour on the left. Pass from pre (magnificent animal prints, crafts, jewelry, tools) to Antigüedad.En the Old Kingdom, a State, the State of Kush was born in Upper Nubia. Will be annexed by Egypt during the reign of Tutmés I, and reborn after the fall of the New Empire. For a while, the capital of Kush was established at Meroe (modern Sudan). The exhibits show the prosperity of this State. Later, two pieces evoke, first, the Christianization of Nubia, the second its Islamization. The rescue of the Nubian temples by the UNESCO is described by a very large educational panels. Finally, a whole part of the museum is devoted to contemporary civilization through the remodeling of houses, school yards, scenes of weddings or agricultural work. Also of note is the beautiful open air museum, at different levels. There have been rebuilt a cave prehistoric and Islamic tombs.


The barges
Triangular sails are an integral part of the landscape of the Nile Will fit only for walking? Make no mistake, as these heavy boats still represent a regular means of transport for both humans and animals as commodities. Some of these boats go up the Nile along dozens or even hundreds of kilometers, with a load of stones, as in the times of the pharaohs, or cement.