A modern day caravan to Siwa
The carpets were being unloaded off the bus. A mild frenzy erupts “that is mine! no its mine!”. As the owners identify and reclaim their treasures, one is reminded why the purchase was made. Look at that wonderful texture and the pattern; detailed and storytelling in its complexity. But I am getting ahead of myself.
Over a long weekend we journey to Siwa. Inhabited as early as 10,000BC by an indigenous community of Berbers known as Amazish, the village is located north of the Great Sand Sea, 200 kilometres east of the Libyan Border in the western desert region of Egypt.
Not only was our destination filled with interest, the distances in between offered World War II history as well as sun and sand on the azure delight of the Mediterranean. It was an eight hour drive from Cairo.
El Alamein is the site for commemoration of battles fought sixty years ago. Each community honours their fallen. The German and Italian memorials are stone and marble; the Australian obelisk sits beside the British cemetery. Each moving and sad; quiet places to reflect.
The warm and gentle Mediterranean breezes signal our next stop; Marsa Matruh a seaside township enjoying a reprieve from the busy summer. Only a few hotels are open; just what you want on a break, peace and quiet. The ocean is a pleasant contrast from the hectic environment of Cairo.
The desert is never far away in Egypt. A few kilometres past Marsa Matruh the long flat endless plains rush up to you. The horizon, like the straight road seems to fade into eternity, repetition of sand, horizon, sand and more horizon, broken only occasionally by wispy clouds ambling across the heavens. Wild camels beside the road stop and stare at these strange visitors to their world; are they reminded of long past caravans?
Eventually the travellers are surprised into the present landscape of time layered hills, wind eroded into strange wondrous shapes. A change is coming. Like children, “are we there yet” echoes through our modern day caravan of the desert, an air conditioned bus. An excitement spreads. Is that green? Are those palm trees? Is that a mirage? Or is it an oasis?
The reward of the journey waits in the distance. It’s just as you image; an oasis. Green swaying palm trees surrounding a lake of blue natural spring water; the desert’s oasis like our precious cargo, our carpets, has texture. Springs cushioned by reeds swaying in the winds that sweep over the undulations. The lush of the green and cool of the water compliment the dry of the desert. 500,000 palm trees and 100,000 olive trees are in the area.
Siwa, long isolated from the rest of Egypt both geographically and culturally, until 20 years ago was a quiet private part of the world. Alexander the Great visited in 331 BC. The Egyptian government replaced the Sheiks as the power brokers and change came in the form of an asphalt highway in 1986.
Today Siwa, also known as the City of a Million Palm trees, is famous for its dates, olives, bottled water and intricate needlework. The produce, considered the best in Egypt, has been cultivated for ions. The unique needlework was discovered recently and is now eagerly sought by fashion houses and museums throughout the world. The complex ornate stitching of ancient geometric motifs: stars, crosses and fishes were traditionally made for the women's colourful bridal trousseaus.
The end of Ramadan is celebrated by four days of feasting called Eid al-Fitr or “Festival of Fast Breaking”. Our arrival coincides with this feast. It is a time of visiting family and friends. For the women, this is one of the few occasions when they can leave the house. Traditionally children get new clothes for the Eid; the young girl’s colourful dresses sparkle and are bright and alive. The married women wear the tarfottet, a blue cotton sheet embroidered with coloured silks. Given on her wedding day it is worn whenever she leaves the house. The tarfottet is worn over a light black scarf that covers her entire face which allows her to see through it.
The village square is busy with donkey drawn carts containing families; children smiling as they pass. The men and boys in their white galabayas are a contrast against the shaded world of their women.
The centre of town is dominated by the mud-brick remains of the 13th century fortress enclave of Shali built to repel invading marauders. It was constructed of large chunks of salt mixed with rock and plastered in local clay. After three days of continuous rain in 1926, parts were washed away and the fortress mostly abandoned. A fascinating place to wander. Just out of town is the famed antiquity, the Temple of the Oracle. Built in the 6th century and dedicated to Amun, sometimes referred to as Zeus. It was to this temple that Alexander the Great came seeking an answer from the Oracle: “was he the son of Zeus”? The Siwan Oracle confirmed his divinity.
Another historical site of interest is the “Mountain of the Dead” or Jabal al Mawta which contains honeycombed tombs dating back to the 3rd century BC. Robbed during Roman times and reused over the centuries it was rediscovered by the Italian Army during the Second World War. The Siwan’s sheltered from bombing attacks in the tombs. The war and foreign armies were strange to this unique community who had little connection to the outside world.
Out of town, there is a modern adventure in the form of desert dunes and four wheel drive vehicles. What a sight, a sea of sand hill after sand hill, the shapes sculptured by winds, ever changing. Colours alter as the sun travels across the sky. Sunset heralds the day’s end. After a day of thrills zooming up and down the sand dunes there are many hot springs to soothe the body, in-particular “Cleopatra’s Bath” formerly used by brides to bathe on their day of betrothal as part of the marriage ritual. Watching the sun set over the desert as you wash away the days dust is a surreal experience.
Life is unhurried in the Siwa oasis. Time passes easily. The days of ancient trading centres, caravans and the pilgrims are gone; replaced by the modern traveller exploring the delights, mysteries and wonders of this ancient land by automated transports, the new caravans.
My carpet has made it home. Back to the start of my story, every time I travel its pattern, I return to Siwa and my memories of this distant oasis.
Over a long weekend we journey to Siwa. Inhabited as early as 10,000BC by an indigenous community of Berbers known as Amazish, the village is located north of the Great Sand Sea, 200 kilometres east of the Libyan Border in the western desert region of Egypt.
Not only was our destination filled with interest, the distances in between offered World War II history as well as sun and sand on the azure delight of the Mediterranean. It was an eight hour drive from Cairo.
El Alamein is the site for commemoration of battles fought sixty years ago. Each community honours their fallen. The German and Italian memorials are stone and marble; the Australian obelisk sits beside the British cemetery. Each moving and sad; quiet places to reflect.
The warm and gentle Mediterranean breezes signal our next stop; Marsa Matruh a seaside township enjoying a reprieve from the busy summer. Only a few hotels are open; just what you want on a break, peace and quiet. The ocean is a pleasant contrast from the hectic environment of Cairo.
The desert is never far away in Egypt. A few kilometres past Marsa Matruh the long flat endless plains rush up to you. The horizon, like the straight road seems to fade into eternity, repetition of sand, horizon, sand and more horizon, broken only occasionally by wispy clouds ambling across the heavens. Wild camels beside the road stop and stare at these strange visitors to their world; are they reminded of long past caravans?
Eventually the travellers are surprised into the present landscape of time layered hills, wind eroded into strange wondrous shapes. A change is coming. Like children, “are we there yet” echoes through our modern day caravan of the desert, an air conditioned bus. An excitement spreads. Is that green? Are those palm trees? Is that a mirage? Or is it an oasis?
The reward of the journey waits in the distance. It’s just as you image; an oasis. Green swaying palm trees surrounding a lake of blue natural spring water; the desert’s oasis like our precious cargo, our carpets, has texture. Springs cushioned by reeds swaying in the winds that sweep over the undulations. The lush of the green and cool of the water compliment the dry of the desert. 500,000 palm trees and 100,000 olive trees are in the area.
Siwa, long isolated from the rest of Egypt both geographically and culturally, until 20 years ago was a quiet private part of the world. Alexander the Great visited in 331 BC. The Egyptian government replaced the Sheiks as the power brokers and change came in the form of an asphalt highway in 1986.
Today Siwa, also known as the City of a Million Palm trees, is famous for its dates, olives, bottled water and intricate needlework. The produce, considered the best in Egypt, has been cultivated for ions. The unique needlework was discovered recently and is now eagerly sought by fashion houses and museums throughout the world. The complex ornate stitching of ancient geometric motifs: stars, crosses and fishes were traditionally made for the women's colourful bridal trousseaus.
The end of Ramadan is celebrated by four days of feasting called Eid al-Fitr or “Festival of Fast Breaking”. Our arrival coincides with this feast. It is a time of visiting family and friends. For the women, this is one of the few occasions when they can leave the house. Traditionally children get new clothes for the Eid; the young girl’s colourful dresses sparkle and are bright and alive. The married women wear the tarfottet, a blue cotton sheet embroidered with coloured silks. Given on her wedding day it is worn whenever she leaves the house. The tarfottet is worn over a light black scarf that covers her entire face which allows her to see through it.
The village square is busy with donkey drawn carts containing families; children smiling as they pass. The men and boys in their white galabayas are a contrast against the shaded world of their women.
The centre of town is dominated by the mud-brick remains of the 13th century fortress enclave of Shali built to repel invading marauders. It was constructed of large chunks of salt mixed with rock and plastered in local clay. After three days of continuous rain in 1926, parts were washed away and the fortress mostly abandoned. A fascinating place to wander. Just out of town is the famed antiquity, the Temple of the Oracle. Built in the 6th century and dedicated to Amun, sometimes referred to as Zeus. It was to this temple that Alexander the Great came seeking an answer from the Oracle: “was he the son of Zeus”? The Siwan Oracle confirmed his divinity.
Another historical site of interest is the “Mountain of the Dead” or Jabal al Mawta which contains honeycombed tombs dating back to the 3rd century BC. Robbed during Roman times and reused over the centuries it was rediscovered by the Italian Army during the Second World War. The Siwan’s sheltered from bombing attacks in the tombs. The war and foreign armies were strange to this unique community who had little connection to the outside world.
Out of town, there is a modern adventure in the form of desert dunes and four wheel drive vehicles. What a sight, a sea of sand hill after sand hill, the shapes sculptured by winds, ever changing. Colours alter as the sun travels across the sky. Sunset heralds the day’s end. After a day of thrills zooming up and down the sand dunes there are many hot springs to soothe the body, in-particular “Cleopatra’s Bath” formerly used by brides to bathe on their day of betrothal as part of the marriage ritual. Watching the sun set over the desert as you wash away the days dust is a surreal experience.
Life is unhurried in the Siwa oasis. Time passes easily. The days of ancient trading centres, caravans and the pilgrims are gone; replaced by the modern traveller exploring the delights, mysteries and wonders of this ancient land by automated transports, the new caravans.
My carpet has made it home. Back to the start of my story, every time I travel its pattern, I return to Siwa and my memories of this distant oasis.
posted by PC and JT at 1:01 am
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