Jon Atkinson - World and Wildlife Photographer

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Cairo Archaeology (Giza, Saqqarra and Memphis)

Cairo_Arch_1: Sphinx & Pyramid, Khafre, Giza

The Great Sphinx of Giza is located on the Giza Plateau, bordering the Sahara Desert, on the west bank of the Nile River, near modern-day Cairo. It is the opinion of most Egyptologists that the Great Sphinx was built in approximately 2500 BC by the pharaoh Khafre who built the 2nd largest pyramid in the Giza complex.

Cairo_Arch_2: Sphinx, Giza

The Great Sphinx is known to the Arabs as Abul-hol meaning the father of terror. The Greek word "sphinx" may have derived from the Egyptian shesep-ankh, which translates to 'living image'. The name "Sphinx" was given to the statue in antiquity based on the legendary Greek creature with the body of a lion and the head of a woman.

Cairo_Arch_3: Sphinx & Great Pyramid, Giza

The sphinx is built of soft sandstone and would have disappeared, through water erosion, thermal expansion or general weathering, long ago had it not been buried under the Sahara Desert for so long. The body is 200 feet (60m) in length and 65 feet (20m) tall. The face of the sphinx is 13 feet (4m) wide and its eyes are 6 feet (2m) high.

Cairo_Arch_4: Pyramid Khufu, Giza

Of all the seven wonders of the ancient world, only the pyramids of Giza still stand today. Pharaoh Khufu commissioned the building of the first and largest pyramid, while his son Khafre and grandson Menkaure commissioned the other two.

Cairo_Arch_5: Pyramid Khufu, Giza

The Great pyramid was originally 481 feet high and 755 feet wide, dimensions which the damage of time have reduced to 454 feet and 750 feet respectively. It was built during the historical period of the Old Kingdom (2686 BC - 2181 BC) and is attributed to the Pharaoh Khufu (Greek Cheops) 2589 - 2566 as the king who erected the Great Pyramid of Giza.

Cairo_Arch_6: Pyramid, Khafre, Giza

One of the three main Old Kingdom pyramids located at Giza in Egypt, Khafre's pyramid was built between 2558 and 2532 BC. The Pyramid of Khafre is the 2nd largest of the Ancient Egyptian Pyramids of Giza.

Cairo_Arch_7: Pyramid, Khafre, Giza

The pyramid has a base length of 215 meters and originally rose to a height of 148 meters. The Pyramid is made of Limestone blocks each weighing more than 2 tons each.

Cairo_Arch_8 Pyramid Khufu, Giza

It is not certain exactly why the Great Pyramid was built but many Egyptologists believe that the reason for its construction was linked the religion and beliefs of the Ancient Egyptians. The Great Pyramid was the tallest man made structure in the world for over 3,800 years.

Cairo_Arch_9 Summit of Pyramid, Khafre, Giza

Khafre ruled Egypt from his capital city based at Memphis which was situated in Lower Egypt He was an absolute ruler and incorporated the name of the sun god re, or ra, into his name, Khaf-Ra, means "Appearing like Ra". He is known as a harsh and cruel monarch as was his father Khufu who build the Great Pyramid in the same complex at Giza.

Cairo_Arch_10: Pyramid, Khafre, Giza

The Pyramid Khafre and Sphinx are eerily illuminated during the nightly sound and light show at the Giza Pyramid complex.

Cairo_Arch_11 Pyramid Khufu, Giza

The sun sets dramatically behind the Great Pyramid at Giza.

Cairo_Arch_12 Pyramid, Khafre, Giza

The Pyramid Khafre stands out against the backdrop of dusk over the Sahara desert.

Cairo_Arch_13 Step Pyramid. Saqqarra

The oldest pyramid is the Step Pyramid of Zoser located at Saqqarra. This was build around 2650 BC by Imhotep and is around 60 meters high.

Cairo_Arch_14 Pyramid Of Unnas, Saqqara

 The pyramid of Unnas, the last king of the 5th dynasty. The pyramid is infinitely more well known than the man who built it, because for the first time in the history of the excavation of pyramids, they discovered 128 magical spells of the Pyramid Text on the walls of its subterranean chambers!

Cairo_Arch_15 Saqqarra Archaelogical Site

According to Egyptionologists, the Step Pyramid complex at Saqqarra was the first time that limestone was used on a large scale as a construction material, and here the idea of a monumental royal tomb in the form of a pyramid was given shape.

Cairo_Arch_16 Butchers Tomb. Saqqarra

Irukaptah, also know as Khenu, was "Head of the Butchers of the Great House" and "Waab Priest of the King". t is dug entirely out of the rocky wall. This is a well preserved example of Old Kingdomrock architecture that retains much of its painted decorations. Besides the owner him self, at least nine other members of his family were also interred in this tomb.

Cairo_Arch_17 Statue King Rameses II, Memphis

King Ramses II , who reigned for 67 years  during the 19th dynasty of the 12th century BC, was known as "Ramses the Great". He is known as one of Egypt's greatest warriors, but also as a peace-maker and for the monuments he left behind all over Egypt. He was the first king in history to sign a peace treaty with his enemies, the Hittites, ending long years of wars and hostility.King Ramses reigned for 67 years (1292–1225 B.C.)

Cairo_Arch_18 Statue King Rameses II, Memphis

Within the museum in Memphis is a giant statue of the pharaoh carved of monumental limestone about 10 metres in length. It was discovered in 1820 near the southern gate of the temple of Ptah by Italian archaeologist Giovanni Caviglia. Because the bottom of the sculpture has been broken off, it is currently displayed lying on its back.