Educational Visits to Egypt

AQA Archaeology GCE Tour (for Educational Visits)

6 to 8 days

This trip is aimed at students following the AQA GCE Archaeology course for the approved specification for examination in 2009 onwards and are studying Ancient Egypt as their chosen culture for the AS Module 1. (as detailed below).

AS Examination 1011
ARCH1
40% of the total AS marks
20% of the total A Level marks

AS Module 1: The Archaeology of Religion and Ritual
Candidates will study one of three cultures for Sections B and C:
Prehistoric Europe 30 000BC to AD43
Ancient Egypt 3000BC to 50BC
Roman Europe 753BC to AD410

Candidates will choose one of the three set cultures. In answering the compulsory question on their chosen culture, candidates will be expected to be familiar with all of the sites listed, but the questions set will focus primarily on just one of those sites.

Ancient Egypt 3000BC to 50BC

• Temple at Karnak
• The tomb of Ramesses VI (KV9) in the Valley of the Kings
• Temple at Medinet Habu
• Abydos
• The Great Pyramid at Giza

KARNAK

In ancient Egypt, the power of the god Amun of Thebes gradually increased during the early New Kingdom, and after the short persecution led by Akhenaten, it rose to its apex. In the reign of Ramesses III, more than two thirds of the property owned by the temples belonged to Amun, evidenced by the stupendous buildings at Karnak. Although badly ruined, no site in Egypt is more impressive than Karnak. It is the largest temple complex ever built by man, and represents the combined achievement of many generations of ancient builders. The Temple of Karnak is actually three main temples, smaller enclosed temples, and several outer temples located about three kilometers north of Luxor, Egypt situated on 100 ha (247 acres) of land. Karnak is actually the sites modern name. Its ancient name was Ipet-isut, meaning "The Most Select (or Sacred) of Places".

TOMB OF RAMESSES VI (KV9)

The tomb originally begun for Ramesses V is notable for the excellent preservation of its painted sunk reliefs (though they are inferior in style to those of the 19th Dynasty).

Three corridors lead into an antechamber, beyond which is the first pillared chamber, with which Ramesses V's tomb ended. Left hand walls: the sun's journey through the Underworld according to the "Book of the Gates". Right hand wall: other scenes and texts relating to the life beyond the tomb. On three of the four pillars the King is depicted making offerings to the gods of the dead. On the ceiling are astronomical figures. Two corridors, with scenes from the sun god's journey through the Underworld according to the "Book of what is in the Underworld", lead into another antechamber, the walls of which are covered with texts and scenes from the "Book of the Dead" (on the left hand wall the 125th Chapter). Beyond this is the second pillared chamber, still containing remnants of the great granite sarcophagus. On the walls are texts relating to the Underworld; in the rear wall is a niche. On the vaulted ceiling are two figures of the sky goddess, representing the day sky and the night sky, with the hours. The tomb contains numerous Greek and Coptic graffiti.

MEDINET HABU TEMPLE of RAMESSES III

The main temple is the great memorial temple of Ramesses III, the best preserved of all mortuary temples of Thebes. It is called the Mansion of Millions of Years of User-Maat-Re Meriamun, the throne name of Ramesses III, "United with Eternity in the Possession of Amun in Western Thebes." It contains more than 75,350 sq ft of decorated surfaces across its walls

The temple precinct measures about 700 feet by 1000 feet and was entered by two stone gates in the mud-brick enclosure wall on both the eastern and western sides. The western gate was destroyed when the temple was besieged during conflict in the reign of Ramesses XI. The eastern entrance was fronted by a quay, at which the boats that came in via the canals could moor. The processional way led first between two porters’ lodges that were set into a low stone rampart, built in front of the main enclosure wall, and then into the precinct.

ABYDOS

Abydos is one of the most ancient cities of Upper Egypt. The Egyptian name was Abdju, "the hill of the symbol or reliquary," in which the sacred head of Osiris was preserved. The Greeks named it Abydos, like the city on the Hellespont; the modern Arabic name is el-'Araba el Madfuna.

Considered one of the most important archaeological sites of ancient Egypt, the sacred city of Abydos was the site of many ancient temples, including a royal necropolis where early pharaohs were entombed.

Abydos became notable for the Great Temple of Abydos, of Seti I, which contains a tunnel displaying the "Abydos King List": a chronological list showing cartouche names of most dynastic pharaoh of Egypt from the first, Narmer/Menes, until the pharaohs of the last dynasty.

The history of the city begins in the late prehistoric age, it having been founded by the rulers of the Predynastic period, whose town, temple and tombs have been found there. The kings of the first dynasty, and some of the second dynasty, were also buried here, and the temple was renewed and enlarged by them. Great forts were built on the desert behind the town by three kings of the Second dynasty. The temple and town continued to be rebuilt at intervals down to the times of the 30th dynasty, and the cemetery was used continuously. In the 12th dynasty a gigantic tomb was cut in the rock by Senusret III. Seti I, in the 19th dynasty, founded a great new temple to the south of the town in honor of the ancestral kings of the early dynasties; this was finished by Ramesses II, who also built a lesser temple of his own. Merneptah added a great Hypogeum of Osiris to the temple of Seti. The latest building was a new temple of Nectanebo I in the 30th dynasty. From Ptolemaic times the place continued to decay and no later works are known.

THE GREAT PYRAMID of KHUFU

"You have come tonight to the most fabulous and celebrated place in the world. Here on the Plateau of Giza stands forever the mightiest of human achievements. No traveler, emperor, merchant or poet has trodden on these sands and not gasped in awe" - so begins the introduction to the Sound and Light show at Giza.

Khufu's pyramid was, in a line of astonishing architectural leaps forward, a significant link in Pyramid building's evolution. In terms of its size, the technical accomplishments of its construction, the great concern for cardinality and the organization required for its construction, this pyramid represents a phenomenal effort. Like later pyramids, it encompasses all of the standard elements of the pyramid complex, though most have since disappeared. The finished pyramid, which included a superstructure and substructure, was surrounded by an enclosure wall of fine Turah limestone, which enclosed a court paved in limestone. There was a valley temple, a causeway from it leading to a mortuary Temple that was itself situated against the pyramid. There was also a cult pyramid, as well as three pyramids for the burial of queens, a number of boat pit and other structures.

With Great Prices From
Only £849

Including flights from UK airport of your choice, all meals, excursions, transport and transfers whilst in Egypt as well as exclusive services of Tour Guide and Egyptologist and admission to sites of antiquities and museums.

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Egypt Guided Tours, Egypt Holidays and Egypt Travel are specialist UK Tour Operators providing Egypt holidays and school travel and educational tours for schools, colleges and universities to Luxor Temple, Cairo Pyramids, Aswan High Dam, Luxor, Nile Cruises, Cairo, Red Sea and Abu Simbel

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