Tweet
The history of the Kharga Oasis:
The Kharga Oasis was an important transit point for the desert caravans since the period of the 12th dynasty (1786 BC – 1665 BC). This was a transition period in the Egyptian history when the Hyksos had control over Northern Egypt and the Pharos ruled over Southern Egypt and the Nubia.
The Kharga Oasis was always considered the Southern and Western Gate of Egypt. It connected Egypt to Southern Africa through the forty days road.
In August 2010, the Egyptian-American archaeological mission discovered the ruins of the most ancient residential area discovered in Sothern Egypt until now and it goes back to the second intermediate period. These ruins that the mission has found reflect that Al Kharga was a major administrative and services body at that point in history.
The mission has found the ruins of some huge buildings, passageways, and a large bread bakery. These ruins go back to the Middle Kingdom (2134-1569 BC) and the scholars believe that this civilization went on until the new Kingdom (1569-1081BC). However, the area really flourished during the 13th dynasty, the second intermediate period (1664-1569 BC), and the 17th dynasty (1600- 1569 BC).
During the third and Forth century AD, a lot of Egyptian Christians resorted to the Kharga Oasis and the surrounding area to escape from the unjust Romans who persecuted the Copts of Egypt because of their Christian beliefs and religion. The Copts lived in peace in the Kharga Oasis and left remarkable monuments like the cemetery of Bagawat.
Al Kharga Oasis Today:
Although the Kharga Oasis occupies around one third of the whole lands of Egypt, it contains the least population density in the whole nation with around 20,000 inhabitants nowadays and a population density of 4 persons in each square kilometer. The reason behind this is the vast areas of the deserts surrounding the Kharga Oasis, the Eastern and Western Deserts of Egypt.
Tourism is not considered a major activity for the people living in Kharga. Most of the people of the Kharga work in normal jobs like the inhabitants of Cairo ,Alexandria, and the other cities of Egypt. Al Wadi Al Gadeed also hosts one of the largest phosphates mime in the world in the area of Abu Tartour.
The Kharga Oasis is connected to the Nile valley with a set of roads. The first one goes from Asyutto the Kharga, the second goes from Farafra, to Dakhla, to Kharga. There is also a direct flight from Cairo to the Wadi Al Gadeed Airport in the Kharga Oasis.
________________________________________
The monuments and ancient sites of the Kharga Oasis
The Temple of Hibis:
The temple of Hibis is located approximately one kilometer to the north of the city of El Kharga. This temple is considered of significant importance as it represents different stages of the Egyptian history. The Pharonic, Persian, Ptolemaic, and Roman eras are well reflected in this ancient beautiful temple.
The temple of Hibis was originally constructed during the reign of the 26th dynasty, which was the last native dynasty to rule Egypt before the Persian conquest in 525 BC. The period of this dynasty is also called the Saite Period after the city of Sais, where its pharaohs had their capital.
The temple was built for the worship of the holy triad (Amun- Mut- Khonsu). The construction work started under the rule of Iris and then Ahmos II. However, most of the construction works were completed during the Persian or the Hyksos occupation of Egypt specifically during the reign of Darius I (522 BC).
Thetemple Of Hibiswas enlarged during the period of Nectanebo I (380 -362 BC) and Nectanebo II (360 -343 BC). Ptolemy II (285 -246 BC) has also added the two outmost portals.
The temple starts from the East with the sacred lake and the ports. Then there is the Roman gate that dates back to the Roman emperor, Galba, who built this gate in 69 AD. Afterwards, there is the rams’ passageway that leads to the major gate of the temple. Afterwards, there is the Sanctum of the temple with its remarkable unique inscriptions.
The Cemetery of Bagawat:
The Cemetery of Bagawatis located three kilometers to the North of the city of Al Kharga behind the Temple of Hibis. This cemetery got its name from its style of architecture as most of the tombs there were constructed in the form of domes, or “Qubwat” in Arabic which transformed afterwards into Bagawat. This cemetery hosts one of the most important and most ancient Christian churches in the whole world.
The cemetery dates back to period ranging from the second to the seventh century AD when the Christians escaping fromNorthern Egyptresorted to the Kharga Oasis. It contains 236 tombs constructed as small domed chapels with a central church in the middle which is considered one of the most ancient Coptic Churches ofEgypt.
The cemetery occupies a surface area of 10,000 squares and the most important tombs of the cemetery is the tomb of Exodus which represents the Israelis going out of Egypt and the Pharos forcing them out of the country. There is also the tomb of “peace’ that contains reliefs of Jacob, the Virgin Mary,Saint Paul, and Saint Takla. Other tombs display many colorful Coptic inscriptions and writings that demonstrate the Coptic life during this period.
The Temple Of Ghweita
TheTemple of Ghweita or Qaser Ghweita, or the “fortress of deep springs” is located25 kilometersto South of the city of Kharga. This temple together with theTemple of Hibisis the only temples built in Egypt during the Persian or Hyksos occupation.
The construction work of this temple started in the reign of Darius I over the top of a hill that was originally the ruins of a Pharonic settlement that goes back to the Middle Kingdom.
The temple was built for the worship of the holy triad (Amun- Mut- Khonsu), the same as the temple of Hibis. It was also enlarged during the Ptolemaic era between the 3rd and 1st century BC.
TheTemple now includes a hall with 8 huge columns, a hypostyle hall, and a sanctuary.
The Kharga Oasis was an important transit point for the desert caravans since the period of the 12th dynasty (1786 BC – 1665 BC). This was a transition period in the Egyptian history when the Hyksos had control over Northern Egypt and the Pharos ruled over Southern Egypt and the Nubia.
The Kharga Oasis was always considered the Southern and Western Gate of Egypt. It connected Egypt to Southern Africa through the forty days road.
In August 2010, the Egyptian-American archaeological mission discovered the ruins of the most ancient residential area discovered in Sothern Egypt until now and it goes back to the second intermediate period. These ruins that the mission has found reflect that Al Kharga was a major administrative and services body at that point in history.
The mission has found the ruins of some huge buildings, passageways, and a large bread bakery. These ruins go back to the Middle Kingdom (2134-1569 BC) and the scholars believe that this civilization went on until the new Kingdom (1569-1081BC). However, the area really flourished during the 13th dynasty, the second intermediate period (1664-1569 BC), and the 17th dynasty (1600- 1569 BC).
During the third and Forth century AD, a lot of Egyptian Christians resorted to the Kharga Oasis and the surrounding area to escape from the unjust Romans who persecuted the Copts of Egypt because of their Christian beliefs and religion. The Copts lived in peace in the Kharga Oasis and left remarkable monuments like the cemetery of Bagawat.
Al Kharga Oasis Today:
Although the Kharga Oasis occupies around one third of the whole lands of Egypt, it contains the least population density in the whole nation with around 20,000 inhabitants nowadays and a population density of 4 persons in each square kilometer. The reason behind this is the vast areas of the deserts surrounding the Kharga Oasis, the Eastern and Western Deserts of Egypt.
Tourism is not considered a major activity for the people living in Kharga. Most of the people of the Kharga work in normal jobs like the inhabitants of Cairo ,Alexandria, and the other cities of Egypt. Al Wadi Al Gadeed also hosts one of the largest phosphates mime in the world in the area of Abu Tartour.
The Kharga Oasis is connected to the Nile valley with a set of roads. The first one goes from Asyutto the Kharga, the second goes from Farafra, to Dakhla, to Kharga. There is also a direct flight from Cairo to the Wadi Al Gadeed Airport in the Kharga Oasis.
________________________________________
The monuments and ancient sites of the Kharga Oasis
The Temple of Hibis:
The temple of Hibis is located approximately one kilometer to the north of the city of El Kharga. This temple is considered of significant importance as it represents different stages of the Egyptian history. The Pharonic, Persian, Ptolemaic, and Roman eras are well reflected in this ancient beautiful temple.
The temple of Hibis was originally constructed during the reign of the 26th dynasty, which was the last native dynasty to rule Egypt before the Persian conquest in 525 BC. The period of this dynasty is also called the Saite Period after the city of Sais, where its pharaohs had their capital.
The temple was built for the worship of the holy triad (Amun- Mut- Khonsu). The construction work started under the rule of Iris and then Ahmos II. However, most of the construction works were completed during the Persian or the Hyksos occupation of Egypt specifically during the reign of Darius I (522 BC).
Thetemple Of Hibiswas enlarged during the period of Nectanebo I (380 -362 BC) and Nectanebo II (360 -343 BC). Ptolemy II (285 -246 BC) has also added the two outmost portals.
The temple starts from the East with the sacred lake and the ports. Then there is the Roman gate that dates back to the Roman emperor, Galba, who built this gate in 69 AD. Afterwards, there is the rams’ passageway that leads to the major gate of the temple. Afterwards, there is the Sanctum of the temple with its remarkable unique inscriptions.
The Cemetery of Bagawat:
The Cemetery of Bagawatis located three kilometers to the North of the city of Al Kharga behind the Temple of Hibis. This cemetery got its name from its style of architecture as most of the tombs there were constructed in the form of domes, or “Qubwat” in Arabic which transformed afterwards into Bagawat. This cemetery hosts one of the most important and most ancient Christian churches in the whole world.
The cemetery dates back to period ranging from the second to the seventh century AD when the Christians escaping fromNorthern Egyptresorted to the Kharga Oasis. It contains 236 tombs constructed as small domed chapels with a central church in the middle which is considered one of the most ancient Coptic Churches ofEgypt.
The cemetery occupies a surface area of 10,000 squares and the most important tombs of the cemetery is the tomb of Exodus which represents the Israelis going out of Egypt and the Pharos forcing them out of the country. There is also the tomb of “peace’ that contains reliefs of Jacob, the Virgin Mary,Saint Paul, and Saint Takla. Other tombs display many colorful Coptic inscriptions and writings that demonstrate the Coptic life during this period.
The Temple Of Ghweita
TheTemple of Ghweita or Qaser Ghweita, or the “fortress of deep springs” is located25 kilometersto South of the city of Kharga. This temple together with theTemple of Hibisis the only temples built in Egypt during the Persian or Hyksos occupation.
The construction work of this temple started in the reign of Darius I over the top of a hill that was originally the ruins of a Pharonic settlement that goes back to the Middle Kingdom.
The temple was built for the worship of the holy triad (Amun- Mut- Khonsu), the same as the temple of Hibis. It was also enlarged during the Ptolemaic era between the 3rd and 1st century BC.
TheTemple now includes a hall with 8 huge columns, a hypostyle hall, and a sanctuary.
Comment