Saving Abu Simbel From Lake Nasser

these video show hot UNESCO Saves these tembel

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8beHqAxbIo

Around the beginning of the 20th Century, they built a dam across the River Nile at Aswan. This caused the Temple of Isis, on Philae Island to become partially submerged during the annual floods. When the High Dam was planned in the early 1960s, it was realized that it would soon be completely lost. The new lake would completely inundate many more relics, including the Abu Simbel temple.

Situated about 180 miles south of Aswan, Abu Simbel was carved from solid rock, and guarded by four massive seated effigies of Rameses II. There’s another temple nearby, too. It’s usually called the Small Temple, or the Temple of Hathor, and was built by Rameses at the same time as the larger one, and dedicated to his wife, Nefretari.

For thousands of years, the temples were buried under the sands of the desert, until, one day in 1813, a sandstorm revealed a small portion to Swiss explorer and archaeologist Jean-Louis Burckhardt. Four years later, an Italian named Belzoni managed to dig out enough of the façade to enter the large temple.

Since the discoverer of Abu Simbel was Swiss, maybe it’s appropriate that Swiss engineers led the massive, UNESCO-funded rescue operation that was mounted to save Abu Simbel, Philae and eight other ancient sites from the rising waters of the new Lake Nasser.

Philae was dismantled and re-sited on nearby Aghilika Island, and it looks as if it’s always been there. After dark, you can see an excellent ‘sound and light show' which some say is the best in Egypt, when the ‘goddess Isis’ explains how her temple was rescued from the waters.

Abu Simbel, though, was a much tougher proposition. The temples there weren’t built; they were carved from solid rock! But, the engineers were up to the task. First, they injected 33 tons of resin into the rock to consolidate it, then the temple was sawn into 1036 blocks, weighing, on average, 30 tons each. A further 1112 blocks were taken from the surrounding rock. These were re-assembled almost seamlessly around concrete domes. Any cracks were soon filled by dust and sand, causing them to disappear. And, they managed to arrange things on the new site so that the sun lit up the interior of the temple twice a year at the Solstices, just as it had at the old site, ninety feet below.

At first, though, Abu Simbel could only be reached by either an expensive flight or a long, tedious coach journey. Many visitors, therefore, disregarded it.

In ancient times, the civilized world ended at Aswan. Progress southward was barred for many years by rapids, the first of many encountered when cruising southbound. With appealing simplicity and logic, they were called the First Cataract.

The rapids can’t be seen today. They’re submerged beneath the artificial lakes created by the dams, which, until 1994, presented as formidable a barrier to boats as the cataracts. They solved the problem in exactly the same way as the old Egyptian navigators did. More boats were built above the obstacle!

Cruises to Abu Simbel, calling at other sites on the way, became possible. There won’t, however, be the congestion sometimes encountered on the Nile to the north of the dams, which sometimes resembles the Mississippi in its heyday! The number of boats on Lake Nasser will be strictly limited; understandably, the Egyptians don’t want too many tourists floating around on their drinking water!

Immediately on boarding the boat above the Aswan Dam, the popular concept of modern Egypt is left behind. There’s only the boat, the lake and the temples ... and tranquil, unhurried peace. On the way to Abu Simbel, the boat calls at the Kalabsha Temple site, Wadi el Seboua and the Amada Temples, all of which were dismantled, and rebuilt above the waters of the lake.

They’re still rarely mentioned in guidebooks, although, for example, the Avenue of Sphinxes at Wadi el Seboua is as fine as anything below the dams. It looks even more majestic, surrounded only by the desert sands, without the litter, fumes and bustle of a modern Egyptian town.

At the ancient citadel of Kasr Ibrim, the guides usually arrange a ‘sound and light’ show. This site is still in its original location, and it’s an important one. Not only Ancient Egyptian, but much later history, almost up to the present day, awaits discovery. So passengers aren’t allowed ashore, but watch from the comfort of the sun deck.

The old priests and builders were accomplished showmen, and could extract the maximum awe and reverence from the worshipping masses. The temples were designed for approach from the front. That’s now impossible at Abu Simbel, except by boat, which is now easily the most satisfactory way to come.

When we arrived, most of the air and coach-borne visitors had gone. So, we had the place almost to ourselves for our visit, which included another 'sound & light' show. Then, the boat sailed once more, and dinner was served on deck, with the illuminated temple as a dramatic and unforgettable backdrop.

But, it didn’t do to make too late a night of it. There’s a call at 5:30 a.m. to see the sunrise on the temple! The sun played a major part in the rituals, so the temple is sited on the west bank of the lake, and at first light, it’s seen at its best.

Maybe the newly risen sun, setting the massive statues aflame, rivals even the ‘sound and light’ show last night?