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Delve into Egypt's captivating history through Georges Legrain's Karnak Cachette find—unveiling royal statues and diverse artifacts spanning ancient eras, enriching our understanding.
Karnak Cachette was one of the greatest archaeological discoveries in the history of Egypt and in the golden city of Thebes known today as Luxor. In its celestial royal land rose some of the most beautiful collections of artifacts and monuments that convey some of the most magnificent collections of stories and facts about the magical treasures of the Old Kingdom of ancient Egypt (2700 – 2200 BC), Middle Kingdom of ancient Egypt (1782 – 2040 BC), and New Kingdom Period of ancient Egypt (1550 – 1070 BC) plus even the Ptolemaic period. This magnificent bit that was discovered in the early days of the 20th century by a French Egyptologist led to the rise of many profound understandings about the evolution and innovation of the ethereal ancient Egyptian civilization.
Georges Legrain was born in 1865 in Paris, where he developed an interest in Egyptology at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, where he studied from 1883 to 1890 and in the Sorbonne under famous Egyptologists like Gaston Maspero; then he went on a magical quest to Egypt in 1892. In the same year, He went on to join the French Institute of Oriental Archaeology as an archaeological draftsman and an illustrator and worked alongside J. De Morgan in excavations. He was hired as Inspector-Artist of the Service of Antiquities, then as director of works at Karnak in 1895 because of his prowess and high intelligence.
While being in Karnak, he unveiled many hidden temples and numerous artifacts. He worked on restoring the great Hypostyle hall in Karnak, where he made a lot of restoration efforts by using innovative methods to handle the colossal stones. He remained dedicated to Karnak until 1915 when the outbreak of World War I paused the work. He was appointed as inspector of Upper Egypt, where he oversaw projects safeguarding Luxor temple from floods. While overseeing these protective measures, he fell ill suddenly and passed away on August 22, 1917. His legacy persists through the extensive restoration and discoveries made at Karnak during his tenure.
In 1903, A major discovery was made by Georges Legrain (French Egyptologist)in the north-west section of the courtyard of the temple of Amun in front of the seventh Pylon at the Karnak temple, which holds many amazing architectural designs and elements dating back to the middle, new, and Ptolemaic kingdoms and considered to be Egyptian statue hoard ever recorded.
For more than four years, he dug despite the hard condition of the land because of the infiltrations from the water table until he discovered a cache containing more than seven hundred stone statuses and 17000 made from bronze, most of which ended up in the Egyptian Museum and other museums around the world, most of the statues dates back to the New Kingdom of Egypt to the end of the Ptolemaic era.
The discovery contained from the Old Kingdom of Egypt, the lower part of a striding statue of the 5th Dynasty King Niuserre, and from the Middle Kingdom of Egypt, the royal statues of Senusret I, Senusret III, and Amenemhet III. The Cachette represents a significant source of information on how the priests of Karnak performed various rituals and functions, and this find sheds light on the history of the artistic wave of many periods.
The list contains every detail about the objects made by Legrain, but it vanished after his death. For many years, it was impossible to identify the various artifacts found at the cachette, but in 2006, a joint project between the Supreme Council of Antiquities of Egypt and Institut Français d'Archéologie Orientale created a database containing every possible detail about the Karnak cachette and even in 2012, a web database was available online giving 8000 photos of the excavation taken by Legrain himself.
There were some statues, beyond royal Sculptures, that belonged to Karnak's priests from the New Kingdom to the Ptolemaic period. This cache offers valuable insights into the clergy and the evolution of local religious practices. It allows for the reconstruction of Theban family lineages across generations. The cache significantly contributes to art history, showcasing diverse sculptural styles and numerous smaller objects like stelae, inlay plaques, amulets, and votive cubits discovered by Legrain during the excavations.
The Karnak Cachette enriches our understanding of Egyptian civilization and its global impact, and that's why in 2004, a significant exhibition in Grenoble and Cairo celebrated the centennial of the cache's discovery, displaying nearly 25 previously unpublished masterpieces unearthed by Legrain, which continuously rejuvenated our knowledge of ancient Egypt. Some of the most famous statues of Karnak Cachette discovered include:
The majority of items discovered in the Karnak Cachette found their home in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. However, as provincial museums emerged in Egypt, some pieces were relocated to Luxor, Aswan, Alexandria, and other cities in Egypt. The influence of these findings stretches far beyond Egypt as they become a form of Ambassadors for the civilization of ancient Egypt.
Georges Legrain and G. Maspero gifted pieces to esteemed guests; some were sold, and others ended up in the hands of art dealers, evading official supervision. Numerous museums worldwide now boast artifacts from the Karnak Cachette. Notable collections include those at the Walters Art Gallery in Baltimore, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Brooklyn Museum in New York, the Egyptian Museum in Berlin, and the British Museum in London.
If you are a fan of Egyptian history and hope to explore more info about the ancient Pharaohs and their glory, then you can check our Egypt guided tours that have various cultures & historical trips to Egypt. The chance is now between your hands, so resize the opportunity and book us now.
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The entire country of Egypt deserve to be explored with its every heavenly detail but there are places that must be seen before any other such as the breathtaking Hurghada's red sea, The wonders of Cairo the pyramids of Giza, the great sphinx, the Egyptian Museum, Khan El Khalili Bazaar, the wonders of Luxor like Valley of the Kings, Karnak & Hatshepsut temple and the wonders of Aswan such as Abu Simbel temples, Philea temple, Unfinished obelisk and The Wonders of Alexandria like Qaitbat Citadel, Pompey's Pillar and Alexandria Library. Read more about the best places to visit in Egypt.
If you want to apply for a Visa On Arrival that lasts for 30 days then you should be one of the eligible countries, have a valid passport with at least 6 months remaining and pay 25$ USD in cash, as for the E-Visa for 30 day you should have a valid passport for at least 8 months, complete the online application, pay the e-visa fee then print the e-visa to later be presented to the airport border guard. You could also be one of the lucky ones who can obtain a free visa for 90 days. Read more about Egypt travel visa.
Egypt has a variety of delicious cuisines but we recommend “Ful & Ta’meya (Fava Beans and Falafel)”, Mulukhiya, “Koshary”, a traditional Egyptian pasta dish, and Kebab & Kofta, the Egyptian traditional meat dish.
The best time to travel to Egypt is during the winter from September to April as the climate becomes a little tropical accompanied by a magical atmosphere of warm weather with a winter breeze. You will be notified in the week of your trip if the Climate is unsafe and if any changes have been made.
You should pack everything you could ever need in a small bag so you could move easily between your destinations.
We have been creating the finest vacations for more than 20 years around the most majestic destinations in Egypt. Our staff consists of the best operators, guides and drivers who dedicate all of their time & effort to make you have the perfect vacation. All of our tours are customized by Travel, Financial & Time consultants to fit your every possible need during your vacation. It doesn't go without saying that your safety and comfort are our main priority and all of our resources will be directed to provide the finest atmosphere until you return home.
You will feel safe in Egypt as the current atmosphere of the country is quite peaceful after the government took powerful measures like restructuring the entire tourist police to include all the important and tourist attractions in Egypt. Read more about is it safe to travel to Egypt.
Wear whatever feels right and comfortable. It is advised to wear something light and comfortable footwear like a closed-toe shoe to sustain the terrain of Egypt. Put on sun block during your time in Egypt in the summer to protect yourself from the sun.
The best activity is by far boarding a Nile Cruise between Luxor and Aswan or Vise Versa. Witness the beauty of Egypt from a hot balloon or a plane and try all the delicious Egyptian cuisines and drinks plus shopping in old Cairo. Explore the allure and wonders of the red sea in the magical city resorts of Egypt like Hurghada and many more by diving and snorkeling in the marine life or Hurghada. Behold the mesmerizing western desert by a safari trip under the heavenly Egyptian skies.
There are a lot of public holidays in Egypt too many to count either religious or nation, the most important festivals are the holy month of Ramadan which ends with Eid Al Fitr, Christmas and new years eve. Read more about festivals & publich holidays in Egypt.
Egypt is considered to be one of the most liberal Islamic countries but it has become a little bit conservative in the last couple of decades so it is advised to avoid showing your chest, shoulders or legs below the knees.
Arabic is the official language and Most Egyptians, who live in the cities, speak or understand English or at least some English words or phrases. Fewer Egyptians can speak French, Italian, Spanish, and German. Professional tour guides, who work in the tourism sector, are equipped to handle visitors who cannot speak Arabic and they will speak enough English and other languages to fulfill the needs of all our clients.
The fastest way is a car, of course, a taxi. If you are in Cairo ride a white taxi to move faster or you could board the fastest way of transportation in Egypt metro if the roads are in rush hour.
The temperature in Egypt ranges from 37c to 14 c. Summer in Egypt is somehow hot but sometimes it becomes cold at night and winter is cool and mild. The average of low temperatures vary from 9.5 °C in the wintertime to 23 °C in the summertime and the average high temperatures vary from 17 °C in the wintertime to 32 °C in the summertime. The temperature is moderate all along the coasts.
It is the home of everything a traveler might be looking for from amazing historical sites dating to more than 4000 years to enchanting city resorts & beaches. You will live the vacation you deserve as Egypt has everything you could possibly imagine.
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