According to the AFP newswire, one of the tombs is the largest yet discovered at Saqqara.  As Zahi Hawass put it, “It took me two hours to look around it” (Source: AFP: “Huge tomb found at Egypt’s Saqqara pyramid”).  Although there is no mention of a pyramid in the story, the story’s title probably refers to the pyramid complex of Djoser, which is often considered synonymous with Saqqara, although there are a number of other pyramids at the site.  It is unclear at this point if the tombs are in any way related to Djoser’s step pyramid.

The larger tomb has a primary chamber described as “vast” with alcoves branching off.  One of the alcoves contained pottery and human skeletons, but no human mummies were discovered in the tomb.  There were mummified falcons, however, in another alcove.  Yet another alcove contained a 23-foot-deep well.

All that we know about the second tomb is that it contained pottery.  The looting of both tombs, according to one source (Earth Times:  “2,500-year-old tomb unearthed in Egypt”), occurred sometime in the Fifth Century AD. 

Details are few at this point, there being no posting as of this date at Zahi Hawass’ Official Website, and the discovery was apparently made by Egyptian archaeologists, so the full story will be released on the Supreme Council of Antiquities’ schedule.

Saqqara has been the location of a number of wonderful discoveries in recent years, including a pyramid believed to belong to Queen Sesheshet, mother of Pharaoh Teti, the first king if the Sixth Dynasty, and the Old Kingdom  tombs of the courtiers lya-Maat and Thinh. 

Update

For some pictures check out Discovery News:  “Largest Saqqara Tomb Discovered“.  Also, it would seem that the word “well” above, as in 23-foot-deep well, was a mistranslation.  It is at this point simply a hole, which of course isn’t simple at all, since it doesn’t seem to be a tomb shaft, so what is it?

Copyright by Keith Payne, 2009.  All rights reserved.

The photos “Camels at Saqqara” and “Guards are forbidden” by Keith Payne, copyright 2009, all rights reserved.

In Edfu Part One:  Ancient Djeba we will look at the history of this ancient mid-sized town that shattered the myth of Egypt being a “civilization without cities.”

Aerial view of Tell Edfu and the Great Temple (Courtesy of Google Maps)

Edfu is the modern name of the ancient capital of the Nome of Horus in Upper Egypt, and it has long been sacred to that deity, particularly in his role as Horus of Behdet.  For those familiar with Egypt, the name Edfu usually conjures up an image of the majestic pylons fronting the Great Temple of Horus that was constructed there during the Ptolemaic Dynasty.  But the town itself has a much older history. 

The Tell Edfu Project, headed up by Dr. Nadine Moeller of the Oriental Institute of Chicago, has shown that a thriving town once existed on the site, with roots going at least as far back as the Old Kingdom. 

Long before the Ptolemies built their grand temple, Edfu served as an important political, religious, and economic center throughout much of ancient Egypt’s history.  In a future article we will look at the Great Temple of Horus in detail and explore what we know of the beautiful and complex rites performed there in honor of Horus, Hathor, and Harsomtus.  But in this article will be focusing on the ancient town, particularly as it has been revealed by the Tell Edfu Project. 

The pylons of the Great Temple of Horus as seen from Tell Edfu (Photo by Gregory Marouard, Tell Edfu Project)

In ancient times this capital city was known as Djeba, which means “place of retribution,” a reference to the justice meted out to the enemies of Horus, who fought his mythical battle with the god Set at this location.  By the time of the Copts the name was pronounced as Atbo, which has been handed down to us as Edfu.  The sacred name of the city was Wetjeset-Hor, which means “the place where Horus is exalted.”

Tell Edfu—Layers of Egyptian History

The archaeological site, known as Tell Edfu, lies just to the west of the Great Temple of Horus.  In archaeological terms, the word “tell” comes from the Hebrew tel or the Arabic tall, and refers to a mound that forms over time as a result of the by-products of human habitation.  In the case of Tell Edfu, much of the mound is a result of mudbrick structures being built, eroding, and replaced with more mudbrick.  Of course, that is an oversimplification—there is also a thick layer of ash resulting from early industry and a variety of other detritus.  But the layers of the mound at Edfu conceal evidence of occupation from the Byzantine Period all the way back to the Old Kingdom, possibly earlier.

Located at the crossroads between the prosperous mines in the Eastern Desert, Nubia in the south, and the great Oasis of Kharga in the west, Edfu was as much a center of commerce as it was a religious center.  The work of Dr. Moeller, as well as those who preceded her, shows an ancient urban center where foreign and domestic trade was conducted, taxes were paid, and social services were rendered. 

Dr. Nadine Moeller, director of the Tell Edfu Project (Photo by Gregory Marouard, Tell Edfu Project)

The Tell Edfu Project is engaged in what is called “settlement archaeology” which shows more of an everyday view of ancient urban life as opposed to the lifestyles of the rich and famous we normally get from tomb and temple archaeology.  For many years Egyptologists tended to think of Egypt as a “civilization without cities.”  Of course, we knew of Thebes and Memphis, but outside of the major population centers Egypt was thought of as either farmland or desert, with no medium-sized cities to speak of.  But nothing could be further from the truth.

The earliest part of the tell excavated thus far is the Old Kingdom enclosure, which extends from the western walls of the Great Temple into the lower part of what is called the North Quarry.  The North and South Quarries are sections of the Tell that were stripped down to the natural bedrock in the last century by local farmers who used the soil and mudbrick remains to bolster their fields.  Fortunately much of the Old Kingdom part of town was left intact, including remains of the old city walls that run along the west side of the Old Kingdom section and then angle east in the direction of the Mammasi (a much later addition associated with the Great Temple).

View of Tell Edfu and the Great Temple of Horus from the South Quarry area (Photo by Gloria Euyoque)

In the northern part of the Old Kingdom enclosure five walls were exposed and left in place by the farmers who quarried the area in modern times.  Ceramic artifacts found in the vicinity allow these walls to be dated to the time of the Fifth and Sixth Dynasties.  Additional pottery fragments found in a nearby structure show that administrative functions were carried out from the Old Kingdom Period through the Middle Kingdom Period without interruption.  In fact, seal impressions recovered from this area indicate that this part of Tell Edfu served as an administrative center well into the Second Intermediate Period.

The excavation area showing the layers that make up the tell (Photo by Gregory Marouard, Tell Edfu Project)

Great Chief Isi:  From Excellent Leaders Come Happy Citizens

One of the beloved city patriarchs of the Old Kingdom Period was Isi, the “Great Chief of the Nome of Edfu,” whose career spanned the rules of Pharaohs Djedkare and Unas of the Fifth Dynasty and Teti of the Sixth.  His long rule was apparently happy times for the people of Edfu, which was not the case elsewhere in the country.  Isi’s legacy was a city prepared for rough times, which earned him the adoration of his people for centuries to come.

Isi constructed a large mastaba for himself in the Old Kingdom Cemetery that lies in the southwestern section of Tell Edfu, just beyond the Middle Kingdom enclosure walls.  By incorporating elements of already-existing mastabas into his own, Isi created for himself a nice little complex complete with a courtyard and a corridor that led to a cult chapel where he would be worshipped as a god much later.

Isi’s tomb seems to have been repaired and possibly renovated during the Seventeenth Dynasty, when his mastaba became the center of a local cult devoted to him.  The presence of devotional stelae in the corridor and courtyard show that his cult thrived until well into the Middle Kingdom Period.  There is also a Middle Kingdom addition to the Old Kingdom Cemetery, possibly added so his faithful could be near him in the afterlife. 

One may infer that some of Isi’s popularity may be a result of his policies.  When the prosperity Isi’s constituents enjoyed is compared to the national situation, it is clear he was a highly effective administrator.  Edfu was a robust little city at a time when much of the rest of Egypt was in serious decline.

The late Fifth and Early Sixth Dynasties were a time when Egypt was hurtling toward the First Intermediate Period.  But even as famine and warfare were destabilizing most of the country, Edfu was entering a boom period.  Provincial leaders throughout Egypt were enjoying increased power and independence at the expense of the pharaohs, but the decentralization of pharaonic power alone cannot account for Edfu’s growth and stability.  Chief Isi clearly exemplifies a line of local rulers who knew how to wield their new powers.

As the bottom was falling out everywhere else, Edfu was expanding.  City enclosure walls built during the First Intermediate Period stretch from the northwestern corner of the tell all the way to the southwestern corner, in the vicinity of the Old Kingdom Cemetery.  Although most of the architecture from this period was destroyed by the quarrying of the last century, the enclosure walls alone show that Edfu nearly doubled in size during First Intermediate Period.

Looking west across the north quarry toward the First Intermediate Period enclosure wall (Photo by Girolame)

In addition to the enclosure walls, Dr. Moeller’s team discovered pottery shards, fragments of administrative seals, and jar stoppers in the Old Kingdom section of Edfu showing that commerce and government continued unabated through the First Intermediate Period.  Judging from the abundance of ostraca related to accounting alone, in Edfu it was always business as usual.

The Administrative Center

The Tell Edfu Project has spent a great deal of effort carefully excavating the area within the Old Kingdom enclosure walls because that was the least disturbed section.  As fortune would have it, this area seems to have been the administrative center of town, and remained such even after the expansion of the Second Intermediate Period.   One of the most dramatic finds was a great columned hall dating from the late Middle Kingdom Period, another monument to Edfu’s confidence when facing an approaching storm.

Column bases from the late Middle Kingdom administrative center, with Seventeenth Dynasty silos partially visible (Photo by Gregory Marouard, Tell Edfu Project)

The hall appears to date from the Twelfth Dynasty at end of the Middle Kingdom and the Thirteenth Dynasty at the beginning of the Second Intermediate Period.  Showing again Edfu’s propensity for stability during times of trouble, the Tell Edfu Project found discarded scarab seal impressions, evidence of sealed papyri, and ceramic jars and stoppers and boxes from this time.  The court of Edfu remained a hive of civil and economic activity from the Middle Kingdom straight through the Second Intermediate Period.

The columned room measured at least 30 by 40 feet and contained sixteen large wooden columns mounted on sandstone bases, five of which have been located in place (the bases, not the columns).  The hall was probably a part of the governor’s palace, and Dr. Moeller thinks it was probably in use for a considerable period of time.  Even after the administrative center was moved elsewhere, the courtyard was converted into a granary that shows continued prosperity.

The Granary

Built in the area once occupied by the columned hall, the Tell Edfu Project discovered the remains of eight very large silos, the largest discovered in any Egyptian urban center to date.  Built of mudbrick and sunk slightly lower than the floor of the courtyard, the silos were between 18 to 22 feet in diameter and probably stood over 25 feet tall.  Despite the thinness of their walls, which were only one to two bricks thick, there is no evidence of any of the silos having collapsed while in use.  The silos date from the Seventeenth Dynasty, toward the end of the Second Intermediate Period.

Did these disproportionately large silos serve as a depot for Theban royalty during their conflict with the Hyksos? (Photo by Gregory Marouard, Tell Edfu Project)

It is thought that the silos would have stored barley and wheat, which would have been collected as taxes and used in trade to support the local economy.  However, it seems that there may have been more going on at Edfu’s granary than storage of local stock.  Granaries were common in Egyptian cities, but the size and number of silos at Edfu are out of proportion for the town’s size. 

Dr. Moeller’s team speculates that part of the Theban royal family of the Seventeenth Dynasty may have had its roots in Edfu and that locals may have used this clout to expand their operations during this time.  The Edfu granary may have served as a depot, being in a strategic location for Thebes during this tumultuous time.

Dr. Moeller with some of the grain silos of Tell Edfu (Photo by Gregory Marouard, Tell Edfu Project)

When the granary was scaled back, some of the silos were used for collecting rubbish—always a treasure trove for archaeologists.  In one of the abandoned silos, the Tell Edfu Project discovered thirty ostraca which included ration lists and the names and titles of various Edfu officials and administrators of the Second Intermediate Period.

Changing Times, Changing Neighborhoods

The New Kingdom Period marked a time of transition for Edfu, and it appears that during this period the granary in the Old Kingdom enclosure was decommissioned and administrative functions were moved elsewhere.  The New Kingdom town center has not been identified yet, and we can only hope it did not lie in either of the areas quarried for their soil and minerals. 

What is clear is that no new construction took place in the Old Kingdom neighborhood, which appears to have served as a dump.  There is also a heavy layer of ash, in some parts of the courtyard as much as 8.5 feet thick.  The quantity of ash does not seem to be indicative of a catastrophic fire, but rather as the result of industrial functions, such as ash from the ovens of bakeries.

There is evidence that Seti I, Ramesses II, and Ramesses III may have done some building in and around Edfu during this time, and shards of imported Mycenaean pottery indicate that trade continued during the New Kingdom Period.  For the most part, however, the archaeological record for this period is either still awaiting discovery or has been destroyed.

Pharaohs Shabaka and Nectanebo II commissioned some work in the Edfu area during the Late Kingdom Period, but the most interesting discovery from this time is what could very well be the ruins of an Osiris chapel build by Psamtik I.  In the 1921-22 digging season, Henri Henne of the Institute for Egyptology in Lille excavated what appeared to be a small chapel which he dated to the Late Kingdom or Ptolemaic Period.  Dr. Moeller believes that the remains may be those of the Osiris Chapel.

During the Late Kingdom Period baboons, such as these depicted at Karnak, were associated with the god Osiris (Photo by Rick Manwaring)

The site Henne excavated contained two large stone door jambs, two sandstone baboons, a uraeus frieze and other decorative stone architectural elements.  A large number of Osiris bronzes were discovered in the area, which together with the baboons, seem to indicate an Osirian motif for the chapel.

Unfortunately, Henne did not leave good records of his work in the chapel area, making it difficult for the Tell Edfu Project to resume where he left off.  Making matters worse, there are no foundations or walls remaining to demark the chapel proper, so an accurate reconstruction will require more excavation, if it is possible at all.

The Tell Edfu Project has not only revealed much about the history of Edfu, but has forced a re-evaluation of the nature of ancient Egyptian urban centers.  Far from being a civilization without cities, ancient Egypt had mid-sized towns that served much as modern mid-sized cities do today.  As a crossroads for ancient interstates, a junction for domestic and foreign trade, and a depot for larger cities, Edfu was a vital element of the Theban economy, an important trading partner with Nubia, and a cultural center for Upper Egypt.

The Great Temple of Osiris as seen from the area of the north quarry, near the First Intermediate Period enclosure walls (Photo by Daniel Csörföly)

In Edfu Part Two we will pick up with the Ptolemaic Period and the wonderful temple built during that time.

Additional Online Resources

The Tell Edfu Project

The official website of the Tell Edfu Project has all the Annual Reports in pdf format, along with 360-degree panoramic displays using Microsoft’s Photosynth.

Egyptian Monuments

The articles Hierakonpolis, El-Kab, and The Temple of Horus at Edfu, by Su Bayfield, all have excellent information about Edfu and the surrounding area.

Talking Pyramids

Administration Building & Silos found at Edfu, Vincent Brown’s coverage of the Tell Edfu Project.  Vincent also has some wonderful photography related to the Ptolemaic Temple, but that is more relevant to Edfu Part Two, now in the works.

 Tour Egypt

Edfu, by Marie Parsons.

Copyright by Keith Payne, 2009.  All rights reserved.

The photos “080701 TellEdfu-print,” “080701 silos-print,” “080701 excavationarea,” “080701 columnedhall-print,” “080701 moeller1_print,” and “080701 moeller2_print” by G. Marouard are available in larger and higher resolution format as downloads from The University of Chicago.  Photos “Temple of Edfu” by Girolame, “IMG_1136” by Gloria Euyoque, and “2009-09-22 at 17-52-46,” by Rick Manwaring are all used in accordance with this CC Attribution 2.0 Generic license.  Photo “EdfuHorusTempleEgypt LeftSide 2007feb7-84 byDanielCsorfoly” by Daniel Csörföly is public domain.  Satellite image of Tell Edfu is courtesy of Google Maps.

The architecture of Coptic Cairo tells the story of the passing of the ancient world and the drama of how the East and the West established a delicate coexistence, sometimes violent, sometimes peaceful, all within the space of a few city blocks.

This article looks at the history of the Coptic Quarter with special attention given to the Churches of Saints Sergius and Mary, and the Synagogue of Ben Ezra. 

Coptic Cairo

Coptic Cairo (courtesy of Wikimedia Commons)

Coptic Cairo is a section of Old Cairo with a rich Christian history dating back at least to the 4th century, and possibly as far back as the time of Jesus.  There is a tradition that the Holy Family spent time in the area after fleeing to Egypt to avoid the Slaughter of the Innocents ordered by King Herod (Gospel of Matthew, 2:13-23).  Even older Biblical claims regarding the area involve the Prophet Jeremiah and Moses himself, which are detailed below.  While the literal truth of these claims may be open for debate, what is known is that this small neighborhood—where Judaism, Christianity, and Islam once flourished in mutual peace and respect—is the cornerstone around which the city of Cairo was built.

The earliest mention of a settlement in the area of Coptic Cairo dates to 730 BC, when the Kushite ruler Piye, having just sacked Memphis, is said to have passed through a town there called Kheraha while on his way to Heliopolis.  There is also a stele that says that Piye made sacrifice to Atum at Kheraha, which suggests that the area was of religious significance even then.

The area was further developed by the invading Persians in 525 BC when, according to Josephus, Babylonian soldiers in service to Cambyses II built a fortress there.  The fortress was named Fort Babylon, presumably after the capitol city of the soldiers bivouacked there.  Another theory is that “Babylon” may actually refer to the ancient Egyptian phrase Pr-Hapi-n-lwnw, which means “Nile House of Heliopolis,” in honor of Hapi, the god of the Nile.  Yet a third source, Diodorus of Sicily, claims that the area was once a prison colony populated by captives of King Sesostris from his exploits in Babylon, who named the camp after their home.  But this latter possibility is unlikely, as modern historians think Sesostris, a legendary Egyptian king who supposedly invaded southern Russia and Europe, may be just that—a legend invented to soothe the wounded pride of the Egyptians after their humbling encounters with the Assyrian and Persian Empires. 

But whether Fort Babylon was named for the Persian invaders, the god Hapi, or prisoners of King Sesostris, the fort came under Roman control when Egypt became the province of Ægyptus.   At one point Legio XIII Gemina, the 13th Legion made famous by the HBO series Rome, was stationed at Babylon.  Under Emperor Trajan the fort was relocated closer to the Nile, which has since moved away from Babylon’s ruins, lying some 430 yards to the northwest.  Coptic Cairo is arranged around the ruins of Trajan’s reconstructed Fort Babylon, with some structures incorporating the ruins themselves. 

Babylon Fortress - Ruins of a Roman tower (Photo by Keith Payne)

 After the Emperor Constantine declared tolerance for Christianity with the Edict of Milan (AD 313), and particularly after being installed as the imperial religion of Rome by Emperor Theodosius I (AD 380), Christianity struck fertile ground in the vicinity of Fort Babylon.  Several churches sprung up in association with the legends regarding the Holy Family’s stay in the area.  The earliest of these were the Churches of St. Sergius and St. Mary, but later churches of historical import, such as the Churches of St. George and St. Barbara, would follow. 

The Church of St. George (Photo by Keith Payne)

 The area of Fort Babylon/Coptic Cairo is historically important for a number of reasons.  First, the ruins of the Roman fortress are the oldest ruins in the city of Cairo.  Recall that the Pyramids and Sphinx are actually associated with Memphis.  The city that would become Al Qahira really began with, and extended from, what is now called the Coptic Quarter.  Second, the emergence of Coptic Christianity, which developed along a different trajectory than other versions of the faith, and its actual growth rather than suppression when the Muslims supplanted the Romans, is historically significant.  The churches of Saints Sergius and Mary would come to rival those of Alexandria in importance.  And third, the Synagogue of Ben Ezra, one of the grandest synagogues of the Middle Ages, and the site of one of the greatest discoveries with regard to Jewish history, is located in this tiny neighborhood.

The Church of St. Sergius

The Church of St. Sergius (Arabic: Abu Serga) is also known as the Church of Saints Sergius and Bacchus, after two Roman soldiers who were martyred in Syria for their Christian faith in the year AD 296.  It is the oldest church in Egypt, and the original sanctuary was located in a cave where the Holy Family is said to have dwelt after fleeing King Herod.  The church dates from the late 4th – early 5th centuries, and was rebuilt after a great fire swept through the area circa AD 750.  The underground sanctuary now serves as the crypt for the church, which was rebuilt over the site.  Subject to frequent flooding, the original sanctuary is often closed to the public. 

Flooded entryway to the crypt at St. Sergius' Church (Photo by Keith Payne)

 The entrance to St. Sergius is unassuming and easily overlooked, but a few short steps below street level and through the rough door transport one back to the earliest centuries of Christianity.  The church is laid out basilica-style with three naves, each ending with its own sanctuary in the eastern section.  The central sanctuary is protected by an elaborate wooden iconostasis (a wall or screen that displays holy icons and separates the sanctuary from the nave) with ebony and ivory inlays of florets and crosses.  The iconostasis and icons mounted upon it date from the 12th century. 

Iconostasis and sanctuary at the Church of St. Sergius (Photo by Keith Payne)

 The large blue tapestry which hangs behind the iconostasis and above the sanctuary depicts the Ascension of Christ, while the red tapestry in front depicts the Resurrection.   The thirteen icons along the top of the screen are of the Virgin Mary surrounded by the Twelve Apostles.  The woodwork is arabesque in design and is common to the churches in Coptic Cairo.  Although the church has undergone countless renovations, the original design and, as much as possible, the original materials have been preserved. 

Detail of a wooden panel at the Church of St. Sergius (Photo by Keith Payne)

 Many patriarchs of the Coptic Church were elected at St. Sergius, starting in AD 681 with the seating of Patriarch Isaac, and ending in AD 1047 when Patriarch Christodulus insisted on being consecrated at nearby St. Mary’s Church.  This decision led to a rift between the two churches, but ultimately resulted in St. Mary’s becoming the Seat of the Coptic Orthodox Pope of Alexandria.

The Church of St. Mary

The Church of St. Mary is more commonly known as the Hanging Church (Arabic: al-Muallaqah) because it is built literally on top of the southern gatehouse of Fort Babylon, with its nave suspended over the entryway of the fort.  While there may have been a Church of St. Mary in the general location while the fortress was still operational, possibly as early as the 3rd century, the earliest mention of the current church is in the biography of Patriarch Joseph (seated AD 831-49), and was probably built during the time of Patriarch Isaac during the late 7th century.  However, a fresco depicting the veneration of pagan deities hints that the church may have once been a Roman temple.  This fresco was recently destroyed during renovations (see the Further Reading section below for details). 

St. Mary's - The Hanging Church (Photo by Keith Payne)

 The church has been renovated during various periods, with the most comprehensive being at the behest of Patriarch Abraham (seated AD 975-78).  The walls and arches reflect the arabesque style in construction and décor, with geometric patterns and tessellations.  As with other churches in the Coptic Quarter, the original look and materials were preserved where feasible. 

Arabesque-stye geometric patterns on the walls and arches (Photo by Keith Payne)

 St. Mary’s is laid out in a basilica fashion similar to that of St. Sergius, with the three naves ending in their own sanctuaries along the eastern side.  The central nave is dominated by an impressive raised marble pulpit supported by fifteen slender columns.  The pulpit itself dates from the 11th century, although some of the marble used in its construction may date from as early as the 5th century.  The pillars are primarily white, although one (toward the back) is made of black marble, representing Judas, and another is grey, representing Doubting Thomas. 

Pillars and underside of the pulpit at St. Mary's Hanging Church (Photo by Keith Payne)

 The central, and primary, sanctuary is dedicated to the Virgin Mary, with the other two being dedicated to Saints George and John the Baptist.  The iconostasis guarding St. Mary’s sanctuary, like that of St. Sergius, is a large wooden screen of ebony and ivory with inlays of crosses and florets.  The beamed ceiling is intended to resemble the shape and construction of Noah’s Ark, and is lit by beautiful stained glass.  The seven hallowed icons topping the screen are, from left to right, St. Peter, the Archangel Gabriel, the Virgin Mary, Christ enthroned, John the Baptist, the Archangel Michael, and St. Paul.  There are more than 100 other icons throughout the church. 

Central Iconostasis with Pulpit to left (Photo by Keith Payne)

Central iconostasis and sanctuary dedicated to the Virgin Mary (Photo by Keith Payne)

 Coptic Mass is still held at St. Mary’s Church on Fridays and Sundays, and service on Palm Sundays is delivered from the marble pulpit.  The Mass is delivered in liturgical Coptic, which is descended from the Ancient Egyptian language. 

Ben Ezra Synagogue

Ben Ezra Synagogue is sometimes called Ben Ezer Synagogue (or Temple) or el-Genizah Synagogue.  The synagogue began life as a Coptic Church named el-Shamieen, which was built in 6th century, although some sources claim the church actually wasn’t built until the 9th century.  The church was sold in AD 882 to raise taxes levied by the Muslim ruler Ibn Tulun, and was bought by Rabbi Abraham Ben Ezra for 20,000 dinars.  The original structure collapsed, but was rebuilt in exacting detail. 

Alleyway between the Hanging Church and Ben Ezra Synagogue (Photo by Keith Payne)

 The synagogue and the church that preceded it are steeped in legend.  According to tradition, it is built where Moses was found on the banks of the Nile by the daughter of a pharaoh (possibly Ramses II) after having been set afloat in a reed basket by his mother (Exodus 2:1-10).  There is a well behind the synagogue which is supposedly over the spot where the young Law-Giver was discovered.  It is said that the Virgin Mary bathed the young Jesus in the well when the Holy Family resided in the area, connecting the spring to the most important figures of the Old and New Testaments.  It is further rumored that the Prophet Jeremiah built a temple which once stood where the synagogue now stands, and that he is buried under its foundation.  Perhaps less of a legend but no less legendary, the renowned rabbi and philosopher Moses Maimonides worshipped and taught at Ben Ezra after moving to Cairo in AD 1168.

The synagogue is constructed in the basilica-style common to the area.  A large memorial of white marble accented with gold leaf and topped with tablets of the Ten Commandments greets the visitor.  Behind the memorial is a hexagonal bimah, made of white alabaster, from which the Torah was read when services were held. Facing the bimah is the ornate ark, called the hekhal, where the Torah scrolls are kept. 

Marble memorial with stele of the Ten Commandmants (Photo by Keith Payne)

Stele with the hekhal in the background (Photo by Keith Payne)

 The ark is made of ebony with ivory inlays of the Star of David and arabesque geometric patterns, in much the same manner as the iconostases of St. Sergius’ and St. Mary’s Churches.  The cabinetry of the ark recalls the pillars and dome of the Temple of Solomon, with brilliant gold and lapis details.  The Ten Commandments rendered in mother-of-pearl adorns the top of the hekhal. 

Steps up to the hekhal, the ark where the Torah is kept (Photo by Keith Payne)

Detail of the top of the hekhal (Photo by Keith Payne)

 The wooden panels of ebony and ivory so popular in the Coptic Quarter are used throughout the synagogue and reflect the Ottoman influence on the city.  The walls, arches, and ceilings are detailed in the scrolling Turkish style, with arabesque flourishes, and accented by glowing casements of stained glass.  The entire building is a perfect union of Jewish, Christian, and Islamic virtuosity without a hint of conflict or incongruity.  

Detail of woodwork at the Synagogue of Ben Ezra (Photo by Keith Payne)

Ceiling with Ottoman-Arabesque-Turkish details (Photo by Keith Payne)

 The Synagogue of Ben Ezra draws one of its other names, the el-Ginizah Synagogue, from an important cultural and historical discovery made in 1892.  During a major renovation to the synagogue and its grounds, a secret stash of medieval writings was found in a storeroom.  When Torah scrolls and other liturgical texts are damaged or become too worn for use, they cannot be destroyed or otherwise disposed of because to do so would be blasphemous.  Instead they are ceremonially entombed in a hiding place called a ginezah.  But sacred writings were not the only texts placed in a ginezah—anything with the name of God written upon or within it had to be entombed. 

The extensive Ben Ezra Ginezah contained nearly 200,000 texts spanning a thousand years, from AD 870 to the late 19th century.  They detail everything from the day-to-day business and routines of a medieval synagogue to descriptions of the different Jewish sects and their activities in the area.  The writings also shed light on the interactions between Jews , Christians, and Muslims during that period, and reflect a surprising level of tolerance and interrelation.  Of particular interest are writings from the 16th century that describe the circumstances of Jewish refugees who fled to Egypt to escape Christian persecution in Spain.  

The Ten Commandments in mother-of-pearl with stained glass above (Photo by Keith Payne)

 Coptic Cairo’s cultural and religious history provides a microcosmic view of Humankind’s endeavor to understand itself within the context of higher ideals.  From the most ancient of times, the powers have changed, empires have come and gone, and gods, saints, and potentates have risen, reigned, and retired.  But the constant which has remained in this tiny neighborhood is an enduring aspiration to manifest that which is the most noble within us.  Violence and destruction have been no strangers to ancient Kheraha, but healing and rebirth have inevitably followed.

Em hotep.

Further Reading

Coptic Cairo (Supreme Council of Antiquities website)

Tour Egypt:

Old Cairo

The Church of Saints Sergius and Bacchus

The Hanging Church

Ben Ezer’s Temple

Egyptian Monuments:

Old Cairo

LookLex Egypt:

Old Cairo

Hanging Church

The Churches

The Synagogue

The Independent:

Restorers ‘damaged 4th century church’

Al-Ahram Weekly:

A restoration controversy

Rising from the ashes

Tales of a Wandering Jew:

The Jews of “Paris on the Nile”

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Copyright by Keith Payne, 2009.  All rights reserved.