Description of the attraction
Wadi Hammamat is one of several dry riverbeds in the Egyptian desert and a modern road that leads to the shores of the Red Sea. The route was used for millennia as a trade route from the sea coast to the Nile, but the area was also famous for its quarries and gold mines. Hundreds of ancient ruins are located along the route; the remains of watchtowers, fortresses, catchments and mines from different historical periods testify to ancient mining activities.
The ancient dry riverbed became famous for the finds of many hieroglyphs and graffiti drawings on the rocks. These inscriptions and paintings record the activities of various expeditions for valuable resources. There are artifacts confirming that prehistoric people and nomads lived in the desert, who left crude petroglyphs in the form of curved reed boats, hunting scenes and long-extinct animals on the rocks. This route through the eastern part of the desert mountains was used by travelers and expeditions from the Old Kingdom to the Roman era, when quarries and gold mines were most exploited. The Romans built stone towers on the peaks of the hills to guard roads and wells. The territory of Wadi Hammamat is rich in sandstone, graywacke and shale rocks, they were prized for their variety of colors - from dark basalt to red, pink and green slabs used to decorate statues, sarcophagi and small sanctuaries.
An ancient document was found here - papyrus, which is the oldest geological and topographic map of Egypt. It was compiled during the expedition of Ramses IV. The map describes a specific section of the path through the wadi and marks significant places such as hills, quarries and mines.
The Beckhen Quarry on the north side of the road contains the remains of dark slate workers' huts on the leeward side. Traces of mining are visible everywhere, and halfway to the top of the cliff there is an abandoned sarcophagus that split during quarrying. On the southern side of the road, the rocks are dotted with inscriptions left by members of the pharaoh's expedition.
The road to wadi Hammamat passes through desert and cliffs, descends into a gorge between high dark, uneven mountains, so it is better to book a guided tour. Special permission is required for video, photography and stopping near graffiti.
