Layers of Heritage

Summary

New archaeological finds in Luxor are constantly uncovering new layers of heritage within the city. Choosing where efforts of preservation should take place can be a difficult decision, especially when considering the variety of personal meanings local people prescribe to different heritage. One person may connect more with Coptic heritage, whereas another may see personal value in Muslim heritage. Introducing tourism creates an additional layer of heritage contestation as an economic value is thus given to heritage. Heritage professionals can become cornered into presenting a manufactured version of heritage to appeal to tourists, rather than a more authentic culture journey. Through this, traditions and social culture may be injured, as resources are diverted to creating a tourist culture rather than preserving the many layers which, together, have created the local community’s identity

Heritage naturally is preserved physically in ‘layers’ based on time periods; earlier periods are buried further, with later eras mounted on top. Below Roman remains, there is likely to be Ancient Egyptian ruins of some description, buried and lost to the sands. Therefore, to get to a layer of heritage, often other layers are destroyed. The Acropolis Museum in Athens has incorporated layers in history effectively into their design; having uncovered the Makrigiannis plot from 3500-3000 BC during pre-build excavations, the plot has been included in the building design despite the focus of the museum being on later Greek history. Here, the Acropolis Museum combines and documents layers of different time periods, a practice which should be incorporated into wider cultural heritage projects to ensure forgotten layers do not become extinct. By preserving one element of heritage, such as Ancient Egyptian, over another due to touristic attraction has a detrimental impact on the preservation and cultural value of other layers of heritage.

Ancient Egyptian

Archaeologists are frequently discovering new Ancient Egyptian finds in Luxor to add to the abundance of material already uncovered and documented. The most recent is the new royal tomb discovered and reported on in January 2023. The site dates back to the 13th Dynasty (3500 years ago) and is significant, according to Dr. Fathy Yaseen, Director General of Antiquities in Upper Egypt, due to the Ushabtis with scriptures written in Hieratic rather than Hieroglyphs. The burial site was in a poor state upon discovery, due to ancient floods filling the tomb with dense deposits of sand and limestone. In April 2021, archaeologists discovered a 3000 year old city which had been covered in sand and debris; it became known as the “lost golden city”, or “Aten”, and dated to the reign of Amenhotep III. The dig uncovered a huge variety of objects, such as jewellery, scarab beetle amulets, and coloured pottery. Evidence such as this enriches scholarly research and community identity with ancient ancestors, creating a sense of pride in the lasting memory of heritage. Furthermore, archaeological digs and finds can provide renewed touristic interest in Egypt and Egyptian heritage, by providing evidence of the vibrant and layered history the country has to offer. Following political unrest, Egypt has been making sure to capture media attention for their rich archaeological finds to rebuild tourism and the tourism economy.

Coptic Christian

Coptic Christians have been presented in Egypt since early Christianity, and they are still influential in parts of Egypt, including Luxor. Importantly, Coptic Christian heritage in Luxor is a key example of the difficulties of preserving layers of heritage. The centre of Coptic activity was the town of Jeme, which may have extended from Deir el-Medina to Medinet Habu (Meinardus, 1999, 262); however, the remains of the church in that location was cleared by the Service des Antiquities in 1895, which favoured pharaonic heritage. The importance of assessing layers of heritage rather than simply one era of heritage is also presented in Coptic Christian heritage, as, for example, at Luxor Temple there were no less than five churches built within the site during the Byzantine period (Meinardus, 1999, 264). Upon one of these churches the Mosque of Abu al-Haggag was built, again displaying the various layers of heritage in Luxor. At Karnak Temple, a 4th century Christian church was established in the Great Festival Hall of Thutmose III, and paintings of saints are found on six columns. Meinardus (1999) offers an extensive analysis of Coptic Christian sites and heritage in Luxor and wider Egypt.

More recently, during the excavations of the Avenue of the Sphinx, a tombstone was unearthed with a Christian cross and Coptic writing (El-Aref, 2017); this indicates the need to be mindful of multiple layers of heritage in preservation attempts, as heritage in Luxor is certainly multi-faceted.  

Greek

Ancient Greek depictions in Luxor Temple reveal the marriage of two cultures; Greek immigrants to Egypt engaged with both pre-established Ancient Egyptian heritage as well as included elements of their own heritage. Alexander the Great is case in point, where he is depicted being introduced to Amun-Re on the east side of the temple. Inscriptions state Alexander was responsible for construction in the temple, and also mentions the restoration of one of the twin sanctuaries in the Akhmenu of Thutmose III on the main axis of the Great Temple of Amun at Karnak. Typically, Greek heritage in Egypt does not try to overcome and change Egyptian culture, as rulers such as Ptolemy saw fit to engage in Egyptian heritage to present himself as a pre-ordained ruler of the country by ‘fitting in’. In the Ramesside court of Luxor Temple, a graffito depiction of a nude man standing on a pedestal with a label above his head of ΠΑΡΙϹ (Paris), may be evidence of Greek myths in Egypt presents a potentially cohesive culture in the transition period of Ancient Egyptian and Ancient Greek eras. Therefore, Luxor represents a significant location for study in Classics as well as being a case study for Greek habitation in Egypt.

Islamic

When Islam came to Egypt in the 7th century AD, Muslims began exploring the country, visiting monuments, tombs, and chapels whilst gaining knowledge and beginning traditions. To solidify their religion in this new lang they built mosques, often on top or inside of ancient temples, in a similar way to Christian practices. One such example is the Mosque of Abu Al-Haggag, which sits on Luxor Temple. According to local legend, the mosque had been already constructed and was in practice when a high-ranking official sought to remove it; a Sheikh by the name of Youssef, who has since been known as Abu Haggag, protested its removal. The official woke up and discovered he was paralysed, resulting in him changing his mind about destroying the mosque. Since this event, the defence of the mosque has had a special place in the Luxor calendar in the Moulid of Abu Haggag. This is one such event significant to Islam which takes place in the Luxor calendar; others include Mawlid al-Nabi, and Eid al-Fitr. As well as events bringing together the community to celebrate, Luxor is also known for its beautiful Islamic arts and crafts, including pottery, and calligraphy. As Islam is still widely practiced in Luxor, the intangible elements of Islamic heritage remain in context with the city itself, and must be preserved and documented for future use and memory.