 Ancient emerald mines near the Sikait settlement | ||
| Mons Smaragdus · مونس سماراجدوس | ||
| Governorate | Red Sea | |
|---|---|---|
no tourist info on Wikidata:  | ||
| location | ||
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Mons Smaragdus refers to a group of ancient emerald mines in the Red Sea Mountains in the southeast Egypt north of the valley Wādī el-Gimāl in the same name National parkwhich extends over an area of about 200 square kilometers. Both the former miners' settlements and the mines themselves can still be visited today.
Until the "discovery" of the Muzo mine in Colombia In 1573 the local mines, which are among the oldest emerald mines in the world, were the main supplier for real Emeralds, well Beryls with chrome as a coloring element, for Europe. Considerable effort was made to mine the gemstones. Unfortunately, there are only a few pieces left in European collections today.
places
From east to west:
- 1 Umm kaboo(24 ° 34 '17 "N.34 ° 52 '48 "E.), Arabic:أم كابو- Easternmost prospecting area, workshops.
2 Sikait(24 ° 37 '54 "N.34 ° 47 '46 "E), Arabic:سكيت- Settlements with rock temples. Further north are in the same wadi, the Wādī Sikait, the emerald mines and the later settlement and prospecting areas of Middle Sikait and North Sikait.- 3 Wādī Nugruṣ(24 ° 37 ′ 13 ″ N.34 ° 46 ′ 25 ″ E), Arabic:وادي نجرص- Settlement and prospecting area southwest of Sikait.
- 4 Wādī el-Gimāl B(24 ° 34 ′ 5 ″ N.34 ° 48 ′ 59 ″ E)[1] - Settlement and prospecting area in Wādī el-Gimāl.
- 5 Wādī el-Gimāl A.(24 ° 31 ′ 13 ″ N.34 ° 44 ′ 34 ″ E)[1] - Settlement and prospecting area in Wādī el-Gimāl.
- 6 Gebel Zabara(24 ° 46 ′ 17 ″ N.34 ° 43 '7 "E), Arabic:جبل زبارة- the largest and most northerly of all prospecting areas at the foot of the Gebel Zabāra in the east.
background
Characterization of the emeralds from Mons Smaragdus
Emerald is like everyone Beryls an aluminum beryllium silicate, Al2Be3[Si6O18].[2] Beryls crystallize in hexagonal columns and have the Mohs hardness 7.5-8. The crystal surface shines like glass or fat. In their pure form, the crystals are colorless and transparent (so-called. Goshenite) or milky white. By substituting the aluminum or beryllium ions, different varieties are created. Real emeralds are created by incorporating chromium ions into the crystal lattice.[3] As the chromium content increases, the crystals become increasingly dark green. Other well-known varieties are the light blue aquamarine, the yellow golden beryl (Heliodor) and the pink morganite.
In Egypt there are cloudy white, pale green, low chromium as well as dark green, chromium and magnesium rich genuine emeralds. Only the dark green emeralds are suitable for jewelry processing.
Emeralds were formed around 500 to 1000 million years ago in connection with the formation of the crystalline basement.
Usage history
The beginnings of emerald mining in Egypt are obscure. As far as we know today, emerald mining only began in Greek times and was carried out until around the first half of the 18th century. There were isolated attempts at renewed funding until the first half of the 20th century. At the turn of the century, beryls were among the hardest gemstones used. B. could edit with grinding and drilling. Other materials such as turquoise (Mohs hardness 5–6), feldspar (Mohs hardness 6–6.5), jade, Libyan desert glass (Mohs hardness 6–7 each) and carnelian (Mohs hardness 7) are softer.
In Pharaonic times before the conquest of Egypt by Alexander d. Size there was obviously no deliberate use or extraction of emeralds: there are no testimonies to mining or archaeological emerald finds. John Gardner Wilkinson (1797–1875), a respected British Egyptologist, claimed in his book "Manners and customs of the ancient Egyptians" that emeralds at least since the reign Amenhotep III. around 1425 BC B.C., did not add any evidence to support this claim.[4] This statement led to it being used in many reference books including the Wikipedia it is still claimed that emeralds have been mined in Egypt since that time. The often incorrect determination of the material used for pieces such as amulets, scarabs, pearls, etc., which were made from green instead of emeralds, also turned out to be a problem Feldspar, Olivine, Nephrite or jade passed.[5]
There is only one ancient Egyptian term that could be assigned to the emerald, namely w3ḏ n b3ẖ (wadj n bach [u]), which roughly means "greener of the eastern mountainous region". It comes from a tribute list from a side chamber of the Ptolemaic temple of Dendera and, strictly speaking, only designates a green mineral, which would also include turquoise.[6] British Egyptologist Walter Bryan Emery (1903–1971) found in the royal tombs of in the early 1930s Ballana on the western bank of the Nile near the Egyptian-Sudanese border emeralds as grave goods.[7] This is probably the earliest emerald find in Egypt. These graves are, however, the Christian kings of Nobatia attributed to that from the 4th century AD in Nubia are occupied.
The first reliable sources for emerald mining are only available from Greek historians Strabo (about 63 BC to 23 AD)[8] and Pliny the Elder Ä. (A.D. 23–79)[9], d. H. only for that Greek time after Alexander d. Size
Research history
Travel preparation
Due to the expense of vehicles, navigation devices, and satellite telephones, you will hardly be able to undertake such a trip on your own. There are experienced travel companies for this. In order to achieve a reasonable price-performance ratio, at least four people should take part in such an undertaking.
Apart from day tours, the demand is relatively low.
- Red Sea Desert Adventures, Marsa Shagra. Mobile: 20 (0)122 230 9142, (0)122 105 6593, Email: [email protected]. Excursions are conducted from October to March. The provider also takes care of the necessary permits from the Egyptian military.
- Dabuka, 2 Osman Buildings, Corniche el-Nile, Maadi, Cairo. Tel.: 20 (0)2 2525 7687, Email: [email protected]. The company owner, Tarik el-Mahdi, speaks German, English and Arabic. Tel. The Germany office: (0) 89 6385 6347, weekdays 1 pm–5pm. Implementation on request.
- White Desert Tours, Bawiti, Bahariya. Tel.: 20 (0)2 3847 3014, Fax: 20 (0)2 3847 2322, Email: [email protected]. The owner, Peter Wirth, and his wife Miharu speak German, English and Japanese. Implementation on request.
getting there
Several all-wheel drive all-terrain vehicles are required to get there. Sufficient spare parts and spare tires must be carried with you. It should be possible to repair the vehicles without the aid of special tools and electronic test equipment.
The arrival takes place from Marsā ʿAlam on trunk road 24 until after 52 kilometers you get to the 1 Access to Wādī el-Gimāl(24 ° 39 '44 "N.35 ° 5 '28 "E) reached. Shortly before you pass the building of the 1 National Park Administration(24 ° 41 ′ 12 ″ N.35 ° 5 ′ 1 ″ E).
Now follow the wadi to the west and after 33.5 kilometers you reach the access to the northern side valley 2 Wādī Umm Kābū(24 ° 34 '6 "N.34 ° 52 '54 "E). After 300 meters you reach the ancient administration building of Umm Kābū, about 100 meters south of it there is one 3 Information booth(24 ° 34 '14 "N.34 ° 52 '48 "E.) with an information board. There are then no more such tables. After about 1.2 kilometers along the side valley you will reach the area of the 7 Emerald mines(24 ° 34 '47 "N.34 ° 52 '36 "E). After the visit one returns to the main valley Wādī el-Gimāl.
After 6.5 kilometers you will reach one 4 crotch(24 ° 34 '35 "N.34 ° 49 ′ 37 ″ E), and you drive to the right in a north-northwest direction 2.3 kilometers further to another 5 crotch(24 ° 35 ′ 17 ″ N.34 ° 48 ′ 50 ″ E). To the north (to the right) one arrives at the Wādī Sikait and after 6 or 8 kilometers you reach the Sikait miners' settlement and later the emerald mine. If you continue west at the last fork into the Wādī Nugruṣ, you will reach another after another 6 kilometers 6 Side valley(24 ° 37 ′ 3 ″ N.34 ° 46 ′ 33 ″ E) to the northwest and then after 400 meters you come to the miners' settlement of Wādī Nugruṣ.
mobility
Away from the slopes, you can only go on foot. In the rocky valleys, the subsoil is sandy or stony. There are also rubble in the rock massifs. Appropriate sturdy shoes should be worn.
Tourist Attractions
Sights on site
Collections of emeralds from Mons Smaragdus
Of course, all mineral collections have emeralds as illustrative material, usually also from different locations. The Mons Smaragdus is often missing.
Even emeralds made into pieces of jewelery are rarely seen in museums. Of course, they come from Roman settlements that were mainly established in Italy, but also in Austria or Germany. Occasionally, large emeralds, often in combination with gold, form almost the entire piece of jewelry such as ear studs. Often emeralds are used as pearls e.g. B. used in chains with pearls made of other materials or as pearls in earrings.
Germany
- Collection of the Technical University of Munich, partially exhibited in Riedenburg Crystal Museum.
Austria
- Collection of the Natural History Museum Vienna. There are four Egyptian pieces in the mineral collection, one from Gebel Zabāra and two from Umm Kābū, but not in the exhibition.[10]
- city Museum in Mannersdorf am Leithagebirge. Showcase with emerald ear studs with gold pendant from body grave 17 from the Roman burial ground of Mannersdorf, corridor Hausfelder am Arbach, in Lower Austria, which certainly comes from Egypt.[11]
kitchen
All food and drinks, but also dishes and stoves, must be carried with you during the entire expedition. Since there is not too much space in and on the vehicles, you have to limit yourself to the bare minimum. In any case, there must be enough water. It is needed for drinking (mineral water), for limited personal hygiene, for cooking and for washing dishes.
accommodation
Excursions to Mons Smaragdus are mostly day trips, so there is no question of staying overnight on site. There is a short distance from the entrance to the Wādī el-Gimāl Accommodation options.
For an overnight stay in the national park itself you need a permit from the military and the national park administration. There are no campsites in the national park. Tents have to be brought along, and you need some outdoor experience to find suitable sheltered and level set-up places. Usually, common outdoor tents that are impermeable to sand are sufficient. The ground is mostly sandy, for which you need suitable pegs. In addition, tents can e.g. B. be weighted with water cans. No special requirements are placed on sleeping bags, as temperatures hardly fall below 0 ° C even in winter.
security
For a trip to the Wādī-el-Gimāl-Ḥamāṭa National Park and the one to the south ʿElba sanctuary you need a permit from the Egyptian military. During the trip you are usually accompanied by a military officer and an employee of the national park administration. Experienced travel companies can use these permits e.g. B. for a day trip to Sikait also get them promptly.
The former mines are not secured. Extreme caution is therefore required when viewing them!
climate
The Wādī-el-Gimāl-Ḥamāṭa National Park has a mild to warm climate all year round. There are strong winds in winter. Rainfalls like the one in October 2015 are extremely rare.
| El-Quseir | Jan | Feb | March | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mean highest air temperature in ° C | 22 | 23 | 24 | 27 | 30 | 32 | 33 | 33 | 32 | 29 | 25 | 23 | O | 27.8 |
| Average air temperature in ° C | 18 | 18 | 20 | 24 | 26 | 29 | 30 | 30 | 28 | 26 | 22 | 19 | O | 24.2 |
| Mean lowest air temperature in ° C | 14 | 14 | 16 | 20 | 23 | 25 | 26 | 26 | 25 | 22 | 18 | 16 | O | 20.4 |
| Precipitation in mm | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | Σ | 3 |
Kosseir, Egypt: Climate, Global Warming, and Daylight Charts and Data, accessed November 17, 2009. | ||||||||||||||
literature
- : The Egyptian emerald together with a comparative mineralogical study of the emeralds from Alexandria, from Gebel Sabara and from the Urals. In:Journal of Ethnology, ISSN0044-2666, Vol.24 (1892), Pp. 41-100.
- : Ancient Egyptian materials and industries. London: Arnold, 1962 (4th edition), P. 389 f.
- : “Emerald mines of Cleopatra”: Zabara, Sikait and Umm Kabo in Egypt. In:Lapis: the current monthly magazine for lovers and collectors of minerals and precious stones, ISSN0176-1285, Vol.18,7–8 (1993), Pp. 27-39.
- : Emerald mining in Roman and Byzantine Egypt. In:Journal of Roman archeology (JRA), ISSN1047-7594, Vol.12 (1999), Pp. 203–215, doi:10.1017 / S1047759400017980.
- : Multi-stage emerald formation during Pan-African regional metamorphism: The Zabara, Sikait, Umm Kabo deposits, South Eastern desert of Egypt. In:Journal of African earth sciences, ISSN1879-1956, Vol.50 (2008), Pp. 168–187, doi:10.1016 / j.jafrearsci.2007.09.009.
Individual evidence
- ↑ 1,01,1Designation according to: : Emerald mining in Roman and Byzantine Egypt. In:Journal of Roman archeology (JRA), ISSN1047-7594, Vol.12 (1999), Pp. 203–215, in particular pp. 210 f, doi:10.1017 / S1047759400017980.
- ↑: Strunz Mineralogical Tables. Stuttgart: Swiss beard, 2001 (9th edition), ISBN 978-3-510-65188-7 , P. 605.
- ↑The incorporation of vanadium ions also leads to green beryls. However, many dealers and buyers do not recognize them as genuine. Those skilled in the art can recognize such beryls.
- ↑: Manners and customs of the ancient Egyptians; Vol.1. London: J. Murray, 1878, P. 154.
- ↑Lucas, Materials, loc. cit.
- ↑: Lexicographical studies in ancient Egyptian minerals. Berlin: Akad.-Verl., 1961, Publication / German Academy of Sciences, Institute for Orient Research; 54, P. 103.
- ↑: The royal tombs of Ballana and Qustul. Cairo, 1938, Mission archéologique de Nubie 1929-1934; 2, Pp. 110, 182 f., 185, 187, 189, 191, 197 f., 258.
- ↑Strabo 17, 1, 45
- ↑Pliny, Nat. hist. 37, 16-18
- ↑Hammer, Vera. Personal information as of August 7, 2018.
- ↑: The Roman burial ground of Mannersdorf am Leithagebirge, Lower Austria. Vienna, 2016. Dissertation at the University of Vienna. See also Grundmann (1993), p. 39.
