Wadi Maghareh
The Wadi Maghara (Arabic "Valley of Caves"; ancient Egyptian chetiu mefkat ) is a rocky valley on the Sinai Peninsula. It is known for its rock carvings and ancient Egyptian pharaonic mines.
History of Research
First post-Christian travel reports written by the researchers SEETZEN in 1809. A major research expedition led Karl Richard Lepsius in the years 1842-45, during which he documented several rock reliefs drawing. A second expedition was carried out in 1868 by the British Ordnance Survey under the direction of Captains CW Wilson and HS Palmer. Sir William Matthew Flinders Petrie took 1904 - 1905 first excavations at the ancient mines and investigations of the rock inscriptions before.
In 1932, the English Harvard University expedition to Wadi Maghara by, were discovered in Nabataean rock carvings in the neighboring Wadi Qena. Other expeditions took place from 1967 to 1987, including the rediscovered under the researchers Giveon, the relief of the King ( Pharaoh) Djoserteti.
Topography
The Wadi Maghara lies on the southern Sinai about 19 km east of the situated on the Gulf of Suez village Abu Suweis and passes through a gorge as sandstone mountains. It is rich in natural deposits of copper and turquoise.
Be found on the east side of the steep slopes remains simple dwellings former quarry workers, on the west side, however, are the inputs of the old mines. There the rock art and stelae of kings are seen. Many of them have been destroyed through the years. Those who were rescued were taken to the Egyptian Museum of Cairo.
The only rock art, which is still in Wadi Maghara is located, is the king Djoserteti from the 3rd Dynasty, erroneously Semerkhet (1st Dynasty) was previously awarded.
Historical significance in Ancient Egypt
The Wadi Maghara must have been very early known to the ancient Egyptians already. A rock inscription from the reign of King Semerkhet (1st Dynasty) is an expedition into, or through the wadi to exchange and trading.
Rock reliefs with the names and pictures of kings are found throughout the Wadi and come from the eras of the Old Kingdom, the Middle Kingdom and the New Kingdom. All the rulers of these epochs sent numerous expeditions to the Wadi Maghara to be there to exploit the deposits of copper, turquoise and malachite.
Well-known examples include the kings Sanacht and Sneferu, who also led a military coup against the Iuntiu resident in Wadi Maghara to retake the areas that could be used by the Egyptians only temporarily. Asosi ( 6th Dynasty ) sent two expeditions at intervals of ten years to Wadi Maghara. From Amenemhat III. there are ten inscriptions on local expeditions.
Current situation of Wadi Maghara
A modern source of income for the Sinai is tourism, which influenced today's life there long term. Although the tourism potential was exploited in the early 60s and 70s, to whose value was found to be of great importance for the social and economic development of the peninsula. While the tourism industry is facing as a whole since 1990 with serious problems, flourishing tourism in all areas of the Sinai.
The northern areas are primarily used as summer residences for domestic tourists. The middle region is tourists from all over the world reserved, especially visitors from the U.S., Western Europe and Japan. The success of the Sinai tourism is based on several factors. The peninsula is home to several areas that enjoy a altreligiöses prestige, especially the St. Catherine's Monastery. Then there are numerous places of archaeological importance. Furthermore attract regarded as picturesque panoramas of rugged and multicolored rocks. The Gulf of Aqaba is known for its diving tourism.