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Clanmother Thursday Doors

Ancient Doors of Egypt

The Ancient Doors of Egypt (From the Archives of Rebecca Budd December 2, 2007)

Yesterday, 99 years ago, a Door was opened into the mysteries of Ancient Egypt.

The Lush Nile Delta ( Rebecca Budd Archives December 2, 2007)

as my eyes grew accustomed to the light, details of the room within emerged slowly from the mist, strange animals, statues, and gold – everywhere the glint of gold. For the moment – an eternity it must have seemed to the others standing by – I was struck dumb with amazement, and when Lord Carnarvon, unable to stand the suspense any longer, inquired anxiously, ‘Can you see anything?’ it was all I could do to get out the words, ‘Yes, wonderful things.”

Howard Carter, The Tomb of Tutankhamen
The Great Sphinx at Giza ( Rebecca Budd Archives December 2, 2007)

On February 16, 1923, Howard Carter opened the inner burial chamber of Egyptian Pharaoh Tutankhamen’s tomb and discovered the sarcophagus. Ninety-nine years later, this date is still remembered through the myths and curses that swirled around the event.

For most, February 16, 1923 was an ordinary day. Tasks were accomplished, events were held and then forgotten, placed with other ordinary moments of living. 

The Great Pyramid at Giza (Rebecca Budd Archives December 2, 2007)

Ordinary moments may be misplaced in our memories, but they are alive in our personal mythologies. They float back into our thoughts when they are most needed.

A letter from a friend, a wave from across the street, a birthday celebration, a silence of grieving.

Opening a door to Ancient Egypt reminds us we are engaged in the greater narrative of humanity.

Rameses II colosus in the Memphis open-air museum ( Rebecca Budd Archives December 2, 2007)

Welcome to Thursday Doors, a weekly feature allowing door lovers to come together to admire and share their favorite door photos from around the world. Feel free to join in on the fun by creating your own Thursday Doors post each week and then sharing your link on Dan Antion’s blog post, No Facilities in the comments section, anytime between 12:01 am Thursday morning and Saturday noon (North American eastern time).

Thursday Doors – Poster by Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene

By Rebecca Budd

Blogger, Visual Storyteller, Podcaster, Traveler and Life-long Learner

62 replies on “Ancient Doors of Egypt”

So do I, John. A few years ago I read a book about King Tut (can’t think of the name) by Zahi Hawass, an Egyptian archaeologist and Egyptologist, who studied that the University of Pennsylvania. There is so much that was know and so much still to know. Fascinating.

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This is a remarkable story, Rebecca. I saw the Tut exhibit when it was in Seattle in 19179/80 and I was amazed. I can’t imagine what it would feel like to stand in front of the pyramids. Thanks for sharing this post and these pictures with us.

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I remember feeling like I was in a surrealistic dream. Was I really under the same sun, breathing the same air, walking the same steps as the ancient Egyptians? If I turned back the centuries, was I standing in the midst of the workers building the pyramids?

Thank you again, Dan for organizing Thursday Doors. I love travelling the world from my kitchen table.

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I enjoy seeing places, building and artifacts that I doubt I will ever see in person. There’s a special magic to the photos when they’re shared along with the person’s thoughts at the time. Unlike pictures in a textbook, these all include an element of context that adds to the experience.

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I agree, Alaedin! Much of cncient civilizations remain shrouded in history. Every time something is discovered that gives us a fresh understanding of the past, we gain more understanding of who we are within the overarching narrative. Many thanks for your visit and comments. Very much appreciated.

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Thank you for your heartwarming comments, Liz. Egypt is complex – the ancient and the present together, which seemed almost surrealistic to me when we visited. I felt that I was in two time periods. When I touched the pyramids, closed me eyes, felt the heat (even in December) and the sand swirl around me, I sensed that I had travelled back in time. And then I would hear the sounds of buses and tour guides, which would pull me back to the present.

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I share your fascination, Tiffany – the complex mythology, the political structures, the art, the temples, the amulet, the bigger than life personality such as Cleopatra and Ramses creates an irresistible draw. Many thanks for your visit and your comments – very much appreciated.

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With this beautiful post with video and music you brought my memories of Egypt and its atmosphere back to my home, dear Rebecca! We saw the Tut exhibition in the museum at the Tahrir Square in Cairo! We also crossed the mountain from the valley of the Kings to the Hatsheput temple on foot! Thank you very much for this excursion through the door to ancient Egypt:)

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You saw Hatshepsut temple!!!! How wonderful, Martina. I have been fascinated by Hatshepsut since my high school days. Her temple at Deir el-Bahri is considered one of the architectural wonders of ancient Egypt. I am so pleased to hear that you were able to see her temple!!!

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I confess to whining a few weeks ago that travel has been curtailed with the added complexities of the pandemic. Don, my husband, reminded me that if we stand still, the world comes to us. And that is what Thursday Doors gives me. I travel the world from my kitchen table. No jet lag. I am delighted that you joined me at the Great Pyramid, Lauren. I enjoy our conversations!

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In my imaginings before I came to Egypt was of ancient Egypt. What I found was how the present merged with the ancient. I am delighted that you joined me at the pyramids. Oh,the stories the Sphinx could tell.

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What I love best about photography is that it is the only way we can stop time. Once the shutter has captured a photo, time moves on and what has happened will never happen again in the same way. I am delighted that you joined me at the pyramids. So many stories that are still yet to be discovered under the shifting sands.

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I just purchased a “Slide and Scan” Film scanner which I will use to create digital photos of my father’s krodalchome slides that date back to the 1950’s. Like, you, I am very concerned that they will be lost forever, if I don’t take steps to preserve them.

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I can understand completely, Pam. Egypt is a place that speaks to the joy of discovery. There are so many ancient stories that are still waiting to be discovered. Many thanks for your visit and comments! Very much appreciated.

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I am delighted that you joined me at the Pyramids, Diana. I felt the profound burden of history, as I considered how many had walked on the same sand in the centuries before. It is when we meet the past that we recognize we are a part of something much grander. Even in our most ordinary moments, we are extraordinary.

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I just read your post after seeing the link on Sally’s weekly roundup. You were lucky to visit Egypt and take those photographs. Thank you for sharing that experience here. I’ve spent a lot of virtual time in the Luxor area doing research for two novels set there. Maybe some day I’ll be able to visit in reality.

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I am delighted that you traveled with me to Egypt. When I was 12 years old, I read “Mara, Daughter of the Nile” by Eloise Jarvis McGraw. I LOVED that story and planned to visit Egypt and feel the presence of all the stories that were held safe in the sands of the desert. I lost the book in my many moves across Canada, but kept on looking until the book came out on Kindle. In the forward, written by her children, I found out that Eloise Jarvis McGraw wrote Mara, and indeed several of books produced in her “Egyptian period” before she stepped one foot on Egyptian sand. And yet her research on Egypt’s history, religion, social orders, archaeological finds was detailed. She spent long hours in research. These photos were taken in 2008. And now, I spent time with virtual travel. No jet lag!!! Many thanks for your visit and lovely comments, Audrey.

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Wow! Thank you for this, Rebecca! Love the music you chose.
I love the history of all this, well what we think we know any way.
Great footage. I’ve never been.

You remind me:
I was on a bus that was travelling the highway, along the coast of Peru. We were going from Equador’s border, to Lima, Peru.
It’s total desert. People living in grass mat homes, because the sand shifts every day.
Easy to rebuild.
People asleep on the bus.
One woman was wide awake and eagerly absorbing the view. We began chatting.
I asked her why she was so enamoured with the monotonous view.
She said she was from Egypt. She loved the desert.
She also told me she loved the Canadian prairies. Hours of driving with nothing but horizon and grasses.
Put a whole new light on the prairies for me…. and the desert!
{{hugs}}

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Oh, I do love those prairies. Standing in a field In a late August afternoon sunshine, there is that fragrance of earth and grass, the sound of crickets, the blue sky that goes on forever and the horizon coming to meet us where we are. I feel like I’m the centre of this world. I understand completely about deserts and prairies. Many thanks for joining me in ancient Egypt. I love your stories, Resa! You create communities wherever you travel.

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