24th October 2013
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West Bank Sites & Avenue of Sphinx Update - Luxor
I did my usual rounds today to see what is happening on the various sites on the West Bank. It is still quite early and I expect to see more going on later as we move into the winter season of digs.
Avenue of the Sphinx – Luxor/Karnak:
At the Luxor end they are continuing with building the walls on the sides of the avenue. I remember Mansour Boraik telling me that because of the lack of funding and the situation in Egypt, they are building simpler walls on the sides of the avenue to make it safer. The government had promised an amount of money to do this.
The Karnak end is looking much better. They have also continued with building the walls on each side as well as laying the blocks for the central causeway leading from Karnak to Luxor
35c
West Bank Sites & Avenue of Sphinx Update - Luxor
I did my usual rounds today to see what is happening on the various sites on the West Bank. It is still quite early and I expect to see more going on later as we move into the winter season of digs.
Avenue of the Sphinx – Luxor/Karnak:
At the Luxor end they are continuing with building the walls on the sides of the avenue. I remember Mansour Boraik telling me that because of the lack of funding and the situation in Egypt, they are building simpler walls on the sides of the avenue to make it safer. The government had promised an amount of money to do this.
The Karnak end is looking much better. They have also continued with building the walls on each side as well as laying the blocks for the central causeway leading from Karnak to Luxor
The Precinct of Mut - Karnak:
Karnak has a lot of work going on. They have laid a pathway around the Sacred Lake and are continuing to restore many areas of the temple. There is still a lot of work to be done at this end of the avenue and on the causeway leading to the Precinct of Mut, also from the precinct of Mut to Karnak temple on the Sphinxes and the causeway there; so far it is all looking good.
Amenhotep III Mortuary Temple – Memnon
No work in progress at present at his site. Here is the closest I could get to the third Colossi. It is not as big as the other two.
Karakamum Tomb TT223 Site – Sheik Abd El Qurna
There’re still working on this site and have been here for quite some time now. They have been working on the walls of the main hall and the entrance leading to the tomb. There is also some activity further out from this tomb, possibly Karabasken TT391 Tomb or Irtyrau TT39 Tomb. I cannot get very close to this site while they are working but as it is on a public pathway, I can get near to it when it is quiet.
Tuthmosis III Temple Site – El Asasif
Again there is a large continuing workforce here and they seem to be working on the right side of the temple as seen from the road.
Isis Ptolemaic Temple – Shelwit
There is a large workforce here. They have now completed the visitor’s toilet building and they seem to be working further out from the temple. This will be a great little temple to visit when it opens to the public; it is apparently quite nice inside.