Ḥalfat el-Biʾr - Ḥalfat el-Biʾr

Prehistoric rock inscriptions in Halfat el-Bir
Ḥalfat el-Biʾr · ‏حلفة البئر‎
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Ḥalfat el-Biʾr

Halfat el-Bir (Arabic:حلفة البئر‎, Ḥalfat el-Biʾr) is an archaeological site in northeastern the egyptian Sink ed-Dāchla. The rock is covered with numerous rock carvings from prehistory to the Greco-Coptic period. In addition to the representations south of Tineida they are among the most important rock carvings in the valley, which should be of particular interest to archaeologists.

getting there

Arrival is only possible with an all-terrain four-wheel drive vehicle. When choosing a driver, pay attention to his or her local knowledge. There are two ways of getting here: Either you turn around 4 kilometers west of Tineida 1 25 ° 31 '22 "N.29 ° 18 ′ 23 ″ E from the trunk road to the north, drives about 2 kilometers through the desert between the fields to the north, continues behind in a north-easterly direction and reaches the site after about 4 kilometers. The alternative route begins in 1 ʿAin Aṣīl(25 ° 33 '35 "N.29 ° 17 ′ 30 ″ E): here you drive in an east-northeast direction and after a good 5 kilometers you reach the site.

background

2 Ḥalfat el-Biʾr(25 ° 34 ′ 0 ″ N.29 ° 20 ′ 0 ″ E) is located on about 360 kilometers long Darb eṭ-Ṭawīlthat of Asyūṭ or. Benī ʿAdī in the Nile Valley Tineida or halfway between ʿAin Aṣīl and the Naqb Balāṭ (Balāṭ Pass). This also makes the frequent occurrence of rock carvings at this point understandable. The drawings date from prehistoric and predynastic times to the Greco-Coptic times.

Dating is not easy. Criteria can be the extent of weathering, the natural occurrence of animals (e.g. ostriches), possible later overpainting or the pharaonic style of representation. In the case of the Greco-Coptic inscriptions, it is a little simpler: they can (in principle) be read. The inscriptions usually only mention the names of those passing through, such as that of a Panare from Gōlōle, son of Chaēre.[1]

mobility

Of course, you can only explore the rock on foot. Occasionally you have to climb the rock a little.

Tourist Attractions

Examples for people and pack animals from prehistoric times

The landscape at this point is characterized by several parallel, narrow sandstone ridges that are oriented roughly from southwest to northeast. To the north of these rocks are sand dunes.

The Petroglyphs are mainly on the northwest flanks and the adjoining east side of the narrow rocky ridges. The animal representations from prehistoric and early dynastic times include antelopes, ostriches, giraffes and elephants. Representations of people in pharaonic clothing, cattle herders and cattle, as well as depictions of boats, date from the Pharaonic period. The latter is unusual in the desert or steppe, but perhaps has a reference to the titles such as ship captain of the local oasis governors of the 6th dynasty.

accommodation

Accommodation is available in courage and in Qasr ed-Dachla.

trips

Ḥalfat el-Biʾr can be combined with Tineida, ʿAin Aṣīl, Qilāʿ eḍ-Ḍabba and Balāṭ visit.

literature

  • Giddy, Lisa L.: Egyptian oases: Baḥariya, Dakhla, Farafra and Kharga during Pharaonic times. Warminster: Aris & Phillips, 1987, Pp. 253-255, 273-282.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑Timm, Stefan: al-Wāḥ ad-Dāḫila. In:Christian Coptic Egypt in Arab times; Vol. 6: T - Z. Wiesbaden: Reichert, 1992, Supplements to the Tübingen Atlas of the Middle East: Series B, Geisteswissenschaften; 41.6, ISBN 978-3-88226-561-3 , P. 2945 f.
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