Photos from Siwa Oasis - Western Desert - Egypt
Siwa Oasis is the furthest away from Cairo, around 650 Kms West of Cairo, it is also one of the most fascinating. On the edge of the Great Sand Sea, its rich history includes a visit from Alexander the Great to consult the Oracle of Amun in 331 BC. Siwans have their own culture and customs and they speak a Berber language, Wiwi, rather than Arabic. Many women still wear traditional costumes and silver jewellery like those displayed in The Traditional Siwan House museum in the town center. Siwa remains one of the best places to buy jewellery, rugs, baskets and traditional robes and head-dresses decorated with antique coins.
The original settlement, Aghurmi, was superseded by Shali, founded in 1203. Built of salt-impregnated mud of kharsif, the fortress-like community expanded upwards rather than outwards . Set among thick palm groves, walled gardens and olive orchards, with numerous freshwater springs and salt lakes, modern Siwa clusters beneath the remains of ancient Shali. Climb through the ruins of the old city for magnificent views of the whole oasis . There are numerous sights and bathing places. These include 26th Dynasty tombs with murals and inscriptions at Jebel al-Mawta (The Hill of the Dead) and the Oracle of Amun, and acropolis temple dating from around 550 BC. Near the Oracle is a ruined Temple of Amun and the famous Cleopatra Bath, a deep pool of bubbling water where you can bathe. Another favourite bathing spot is Fatnis Island, on the salt lake of Birket Siwa, surrounded by palm trees and beautiful scenery.
Siwa used to be all mud brick houses on a hill with a wall around, that was to protect them against invaders, but since times are now peaceful (Supposedly), the people have moved out of the mud village on the hill, and are all over the oasis now. The old mud city still remains, though crumbling, to remind everyone of the times that were.
This is the new village in Siwa. These are the remains of a great temple that was erected in Siwa. Some idiot in the 60's I think decided to tear it down and use it's bricks to build a mosque, therefore destroying a piece of history.
Like an oasis, it is full of palm trees and is surrounded by desert.
If I remember correctly, this is called Hill of the dead or something like that, because it was full of buried people from the ancient times. It still has a few human bones lying around.
There is a huge salt water lake to the south of the oasis, it is so salty that the salt crystals are all over the water, and if you get into it barefoot, you could get injured.
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