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Impressions from Fayum Lake, Egypt
"It is a real privilege to be on splendid Lake Fayoum (214 km²) in December. The study group who was with me was perfectly aware of it, specially since ancient texts tell us that there are two big pyramids in the middle of this lake, with giant statues on top. Are they immersed today in the remains of what used to be a much vaster lake? Are they surrounded by this extremely salty water, or are they lying under silt and sand? At any rate, Fayoum is a depression (49 metres below sea level) that raises many questions. If some officials say this lake was fed by the Nile only, then why is its water so salty? How come can whale bones be found around its west bank in the desert? What happened before and after the Floods? Could it be the remains of an ancient inland sea, or those of the Mediterranean flowing in there at the time of planetary upheavals? Or, as some guardians of the Tradition put forward, was it the location of an ancient terrestrial pole? Maybe all these hypotheses at the same time...
In any case, the banks of this lake have been highly populated since prehistory and the area's inhabitants (going back to the Roman people themselves) have always linked immortality with the edge of Fayoum lake. Moreover, the Pharaos used to give it much importance by making this site their favourite vacation place, and by undertaking immense waterworks there: canal systems, dams with bolts (as under Ammenemhat I between 1991 and 1962 BC, probably taking over wuch older work). Many High Priests have travelled this peaceful water, on boats loaded with incense and music.
We ourselves took boats at nightfall, and crossed this lake full of History: a moment when we could feel the magic of the place, as you will soon discover on the website.
In the meantime, I promise to try and clarify all these questions in the near future."
Gigal |
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