Obelisco frente al pilono del templo de Luxor, y la luna de fondo / Obelisk in front of the pylon of Luxor temple, and the moon in the background. (30-V-2012) |
Hace
unos días que no publico nada en el blog. Esto se ha debido a, por una parte,
que hemos regresado muy cansados al hotel, y he de reservar toda mi energía
para rendir al máximo en la excavación; y por otra parte, a que debido al
contraste entre el aire acondicionado del hotel y el extremo calor exterior, he
estado (y estoy) algo resfriada. Una curiosa paradoja, supongo. El jueves por
la tarde, después de un día más en el que dejamos casi listo el dibujo del
segundo corte, decidimos cruzar a la orilla este para mostrar a los estudiantes
el templo de Luxor. Antes, sin embargo, los estudiantes de doctorado nos
reunimos en el terrado del hotel a realizar una pequeña celebración en la que
pudimos disfrutar de champagne francés, salami (traído desde Suiza), y pastas
egipcias, todo ello contemplando el atardecer con la montaña tebana de fondo.
Cuando llegamos a la orilla este, era ya de noche, por lo que el templo estaba
iluminado, permitiéndonos disfrutar de sus bellos relieves. La visita, además
de entusiasmar a los estudiantes, nos sirvió a nosotros para buscar algunos
detalles para nuestras investigaciones particulares. Deambulando por el templo,
entre la columnata de Amenhotep III, las columnas me recordaron (salvando las
diferencias) a la visión de las palmeras de la Explanada de Alicante, pues al
fin y al cabo las columnas de los templos egipcios están diseñadas para
representar elementos vegetales. La escasez de turistas me permitió además
disfrutar del templo estando sola durante la mayor parte del tiempo.
Yo, con el templo de Hatshepsut en Deir el-Bahari / Me, with Hatshepsut's temple at Deir el-Bahari in the background. (1-VI-2012) |
Columnas en la capilla de Hathor, templo de Hatshepsut en Deir el-Bahari / Columns in the Hathor shrine, Hatshepsut's temple at Deir el-Bahari. (1-VI-2012) |
El
viernes, nuestro día de descanso, decidimos levantarnos a la hora de siempre
(4:30 de la mañana), para ir a visitar el Valle de los Reyes.
Desafortunadamente, la tumba de Tutmosis III, que no he tenido todavía ocasión
de visitar, sigue cerrada. Este año me hubiese gustado especialmente verla, ya
que he dedicado (y tengo que seguir dedicando), muchas horas al estudio del
Libro de Amduat. Maalesh! Sin embargo, pudimos ver todas las tumbas abiertas, y
entretenernos en la búsqueda de graffiti demóticos (de los que pudimos
localizar uno, posiblemente el nombre Djedhor). Después, como todavía eran las
8:30 de la mañana, decidimos ir a Deir el-Bahari, que durante estos días, por
la mañana, es una verdadera sartén. Entre explicaciones a los estudiantes sobre
el viaje a Punt durante el reinado de Hatshepsut, prácticas de lectura de
jeroglíficos con ellos, y curiosas conversaciones con los guardias del templo,
a quienes siempre les llama la atención que estemos trabajando en estas fechas,
regresamos al hotel. Para comer, los estudiantes de doctorado quedamos con unos
amigos para ir al hotel Hilton mediante un barco, y de allí, al Sofitel, para
pasar la tarde en la piscina. Tras una relajante tarde bajo el agua (para
contrastar nuestra costumbre, como arqueólogos, de estar cubiertos de tierra),
regresamos a la orilla oeste en barco, disfrutando de una agradable travesía
por el Nilo.
Primer pilono del templo de Karnak (pilono de Nectanebo I) desde el Nilo / First pylon of Karnak temple (pylon of Nectanebo I) from the Nile. (1-VI-2012) |
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Estatua de Ramsés II frente al pilono del templo de Luxor / Statue of Ramesses II before the pylon of Luxor temple. (30-V-2012) |
There have been some days without my posting anything on the
blog. This is because of several reasons. First, because during these days we
have returned to the hotel being very tired, and I have to save all my energy
to be efficient at the excavation site; second, because the contrast between
the air conditioning at the hotel and the extreme heat of the outside have
resulted in a cold. This is curious paradox, I believe. On Thursday evening,
after another day at the site in which we left the main parts of the drawing of
the second trench done, we decided to cross to the East Bank to show Luxor
temple to the students. Before that, however, the grad students got together on
the roof of the hotel to have a small celebration in which we enjoyed a bottle
of French champagne, salami from Switzerland, and Egyptian sweets, everything
while we looked at the sunset over the Theban mountain. When we arrived to the
East Bank it was already dark, so the temple was illuminated, allowing us to
enjoy its beautiful reliefs. The visit, apart from being a great experience for
the students, permitted us to look for some details for our own research.
Wandering around in the temple, in the colonnade of Amenhotep III, the columns
reminded me (bridging gaps) of the vision of the palm trees of the Explanada at
Alicante, because, in any case, the columns of Egyptian temples are design to
look like vegetal elements. The lack of tourists allowed me to enjoy the temple
being alone during most of the time.
On Friday, our free day, we decided to wake up at the same time as always (4:30am), to go to the Valley of the Kings. Unfortunately, the tomb of Thutmose III, which I still have not been able to visit, is closed. This year I would have really liked to se it, since I have spent (and still have to spend) a lot of time studying the Book of Amduat. Maalesh! Nevertheless, we could see all the tombs that are open, and we spent some time looking for demotic graffiti (of which we could locate one, possibly the name of Djedhor). After this, as it was 8:30am, we went to Deir el-Bahari, which, during this days and in the morning, is like a frying pan. After explanations to the students about the expedition to Punt during the reign of Hatshepsut, lessons of reading of hieroglyphs with them, and curious conversations with the guards of the temple, to whom it seemed very weird that we are working in this time of the year, we went back to the hotel. For lunch, the grad students met some friends to go to the Hilton with a bout, and from there, to he Sofitel and spend the afternoon in a swimming-pool. Having spent a relaxing afternoon under the water (as a good contrast to our habits, as archaeologists, of being covered by earth), we returned to the West Bank by boat.
On Friday, our free day, we decided to wake up at the same time as always (4:30am), to go to the Valley of the Kings. Unfortunately, the tomb of Thutmose III, which I still have not been able to visit, is closed. This year I would have really liked to se it, since I have spent (and still have to spend) a lot of time studying the Book of Amduat. Maalesh! Nevertheless, we could see all the tombs that are open, and we spent some time looking for demotic graffiti (of which we could locate one, possibly the name of Djedhor). After this, as it was 8:30am, we went to Deir el-Bahari, which, during this days and in the morning, is like a frying pan. After explanations to the students about the expedition to Punt during the reign of Hatshepsut, lessons of reading of hieroglyphs with them, and curious conversations with the guards of the temple, to whom it seemed very weird that we are working in this time of the year, we went back to the hotel. For lunch, the grad students met some friends to go to the Hilton with a bout, and from there, to he Sofitel and spend the afternoon in a swimming-pool. Having spent a relaxing afternoon under the water (as a good contrast to our habits, as archaeologists, of being covered by earth), we returned to the West Bank by boat.
Soldados egipcios en la capilla de Hathor, templo de Hatshepsut en Deir el-Bahari / Egyptian soldiers in the Hathor shrine, Hatshepsut's temple at Deir el-Bahari. (1-VI-2012) |
Camellos hechos por niños, que los venden en el templo de Deir el-Bahari / Camels made by children, who sell them at the temple of Deir el-Bahari. (1-VI-2012) |
On Saturday we finally finished the drawing of the second
trench, and we delimitated the area of the new trench, in which we have started
digging today. I have an undergrad helping me in the excavation, and a very
experienced gufti, so we hope we will find interesting things. Insh’allah! But all
this will be available to you in our dig diary, which will start to be
published tomorrow or on Tuesday. Yesterday afternoon, and today, we are
drawing pottery from the excavation. Since this is what I used to do during my
work at Saïs, I am also helping those who have little or no experience in
archaeological drawing. Apart from drawing, I also spend some time of my
afternoons reading texts in Greek and in Demotic, to avoid losing practice.
De regreso a la orilla oeste, navegando por el Nilo / Going back to the West Bank, sailing on the Nile. (1-VI-2012) |
Nunca me cansare de decir que es toda una gran experiencia que compartes con todos nosotros y que te agradecemos de corazón.
ReplyDeleteTe mandamos un fuerte abrazo, querida amiga.
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I never tire of saying that it is all a great experience you share with us and we heartily thank you. We send you a big hug, dear friend.