Swedish Ambassador to Egypt, H.E. Jan Thesleff, visits Gebel el-Silsila

The Swedish Mission at Gebel el-Silsila was honoured by a two-day visit of the Swedish Ambassador to Egypt, H.E. Jan Thesleff, and second Secretary Mr. Ahmed Ismail this last week. They arrived in the midst of this year’s worst sandstorm, but nevertheless shared a great meal with the team and visited some of the monuments of the West Bank.

greeting on the boat during the storm, little Jonathan had the great honor to meet H.E. our ambassador

Bio-archaeologist Poppy shows H.E. Ambassador Thesleff and Secretary Ahmed some of the osteological finds

PhD scholar Moamen Saad introduces the speos

in the midst of the storm!

Chef Abdalla presented a great lunch to share while the storm was raging

Moamen Saad talks about the reliefs of the speos

end of day one, group photo as the storm calms

Returning to a calmer, sunlit site the following day, H.E. Ambassador Thesleff and Mr. Ahmed Ismail were accompanied by Mr. Abdel Moniem, General Director of Aswan and Nubia, Mr. Khaled Shawky, Director of Abu Simbel, Mr. Mostafa Badawi, representative for the Kom Ombo Inspectorate, Mr. Mohamed Ibrahim, Inspector of Gebel el-Silsila, and Mdm Zienab, representing the Kom Ombo Museum. 

Mr. Abdel Moniem greets H.E. Ambassador Thesleff

arriving to the cemetery

The team was incredibly honoured to show the most recent discoveries in the 18^th Dynasty cemetery, which marked the start of a lovely walk through the marvellous landscape of Gebel el-Silsila. Walking eastwards, there were glimpses of a unique Epipalaeolithic Rock Art panel and some bushy tailed giraffes characteristic for the Predynastic period, below which is a quarry (Q7) belonging to the period of Amenhotep III-IV, crowned by the famous stele of Amenhotep IV presenting offerings to Amun-Re.

Mr. Abdel Moniem explains the site to H.E. Ambassador Thesleff 

look carefully and you will find the predynastic giraffes!

The walk continued into the subterranean galleries of the same period, leading to another site of new discoveries this season: the “Fallen Monuments’ Quarry” (Q15). For those interested, the discoveries will be released soon, and the start of the excavations was filmed by a UK production company earlier this year to be aired during the spring!

outside the galleries of Amenhotep III-IV

Silsila beetles?

photographer Bob photographing photographer Moamen

inside the gallery

The group returned to the cemetery, and H.E. Ambassador Thesleff was shown the waterlogged tomb that reached the news recently. Meanwhile Chef Abdalla John had prepared a fabulous lunch, which everyone shared on site. It was a great honour for the international mission to personally introduce each one of our fabulous Egyptian workers, without whom none of the work on site would be possible. Sharing lunch together, side by side, was a great reminder of how close this great Silsila family is!

Group image, although excluding key figures such as chef Abdalla,
reis Ahmed, photographer Bob, bio-archaeologist Poppy...

Fine dining on site!

John showing the waterlogged shaft-tomb

H.E. Ambassador Thesleff greeting Hamoudi, one of our great workers!

As a final stop before ending this great visit, PhD scholar Moamen Saad shared his latest research of the magnificent Nile stelae and chapels, which after this season’s excavations have revealed more information and architectural elements (once destroyed or buried during an ancient earthquake!).

walking down the new steps made this season

Similar to H.E. Ambassador Charlotta Sparre, who stood on these steps during her visit to Gebel el-Silsila two years ago, H.E. Ambassador Jan Thesleff paid his respect to the site as he climbed the royal staircase of Ramses II!

The team would like to express its deepest gratitude to H.E. Ambassador Thesleff and Mr. Ahmed Ismail, as well as all the representatives from the Egyptian Antiquity Ministry, for honouring us with their visit, making a great contribution towards strengthening the ties between Sweden and Egypt. On behalf of all the people represented in the images, we would also like to express our thankfulness towards our awesome photographers, without whom we would not be able to share these glimpses. Thank you Mr. Robert Mittelstaedt (our chief photographer), Mr. Ahmed Monsour (Reis), PhD scholar Moamen Saad, and archaeologist Trisha Coletto! An extra thank you dear Abdalla Ali/John for presenting two great dinners for us to share!

What happened to Sobek? Digging the crocs at Silsila

Dear all,

due to increased prices in Egypt, we are now turning to you for your help in making one of our various projects possible:

Help us solve the mystery of what happened to the crocodile-god Sobek and his temple!

If everyone can contribute with as little as 5 € or $ 6 (with several other options), we can reach a long way, and to make it happen we have to reach our goal of c. 25,000 €. We therefore ask you all to please join in and support the campaign, making the search for Sobek possible!

Please follow the link:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/254112462/what-happened-to-sobek-digging-the-crocs-at-silsil/

Thank you for your support!

The following post was written by one of the project's wonderful supporters; his and his family's encouragement and genuine support inspired us to share his words here.

The original 'opinion piece' was published by Samuel Strait on November 19, 2016 at http://www.crescentcitytimes.com 

Searching for knowledge by uncovering the past

– So often as we enter the holiday season we are inundated with requests for some form of charity from groups near and far.  Very often we are hesitant, not knowing exactly how that donation is to be spent and whether or not “good works” will come of our donation.  It is a luxury then to be able to donate to those nearer to home and witness first hand those good works.

For those that have broader horizons in their wish to donate to good works, there is a long list of groups of people doing things in the far corners of this world that further our knowledge of the progress of mankind throughout history.  To those that are interested, money can be donated to support such good works all over the world.  Many are reputable and connected to University’s and College’s which send researchers far and wide to scour the planet in search of knowledge which can make the world a better place.  Often these groups are underfunded and in constant need for donations which will aid them in the quest for knowledge.

For the past eight seasons, this group has gathered on this site to preserve and learn from the discoveries made.  During this particular season, I have the privilege of being related to one of the members of this group who has given her time to further the rewards gained from learning about the past at this particular archaeologic site.  Because Egyptology in this area has not the claim to fame that site’s in and around Cairo, the three Great pyramids, the Sphinx, or even the temple complex at Abu Simbel, money to fund the season’s digs must come from the charity of people who wish to contribute to a very worthwhile cause that so often goes unrecognized and overlooked.

What is unique about this particular group is that they will continue to do good work with whatever comes to them and are grateful for any small amount people wish to contribute.  They, the Directors, Maria Nilsson and John Ward, keep donors up to date on progress made at the site as well as acknowledging each donation with a personal message.  For those that wish to donate, they have a web page, friendsofsilsila.com, or if you just want to live vicariously through their blogspot, it can be found at gebelelsilsilaepigraphicsurveyproject.blogspot.com.  This is a unique opportunity for those that wish to make a donation in a non traditional way, and know that you are contributing to the knowledge of the world and a very good cause.  And, yes, my wife and I have made a small contribution, feel better for it and feel more like citizens of the world, many of which visit our small corner of the world.

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Thank you dear Samuel and to your entire family, and all amazing people who continues to show their support and encouragement! The Gebel el Silsila Project is deeply thankful and forever grateful!

some of this year's team members, including some of our amazing workers!

Donations to the Gebel el Silsila Project goes directly towards employing more workers, which allows the team to discover more monuments and tombs in the Necropolis, and study more ground breaking information about the ancient past at Gebel el Silsila!

DONATE NOW