At the beginning of spring each year, the ancient Egyptians used to celebrate the beginning of creation, considering this time as the beginning of their religious year.   They called spring 'Shamu', in reference to the season of harvesting.   The word 'Shamu' has evolved over the years into the word 'Sham' and seen the word 'Nessim' added to become 'Sham Al Nessim'; meaning 'breathing the breeze'.   The people today still celebrate the advent of spring on this day.

The time coincided with the exodus of the Jews with Moses from Egypt.   It later coincided with the Last Supper of Christ, his death and resurrection.

Because the day celebrated the harvesting of crops and the reproduction of animals - symbolising the continuity of life - the occasion was celebrated by everyone: the pharaoh, ministers, noblemen and ordinary people.

People flocked to gardens and fields to smell the sweet pollen of flowers and enjoy the spring breeze; leaving behind their everyday troubles.   They woke up particularly early in the morning and, carrying food and beverage, went sailing on the Nile; spending the day outdoors in a jubilant mood.   These same rituals are actually continuing today.

The most popular items in their lunch-box were eggs, salted fish, scallion, lettuce, green chick peas and grilled geese meat.   The ancient Egyptians considered scallion as sacred, hanging it around their necks and touring the city of Memphis in order to ward off evil spirits on that day.

Particularly fond of greenery and interested in gardening, the Egyptians were keen to grow flowers.   Wine glasses were also decorated with small garlands and women wore roses in their hair.   The interest in flowers was not confined to the rich strata but was shared by the poor as well.   Roses had a role to play in funerary rituals, they were put in the tomb with the mummy and were carried by mourning women in the funeral procession.

Gardens, which usually had ponds in the middle, were planted with all kinds of roses, such as narcissus, white tulip and opium.   There were trees, including acacia, nabk, sycamore, fig and willow.   Poets in ancient Egypt used to compose verse describing orchards and parks as the meeting place of lovers.

The ancient Egyptians divided the year into 12 months, each 30 days long, and three seasons, each season was related to agriculture.   The first was called 'Akht' and was the season of the flood, lasting from mid-June until mid-October.   The winter season, known as 'Bert', which means 'coming out', referred to the reappearance of the land after the flood, and lasted from mid-October until the beginning of February.   The last season was 'Shamu', lasting from February until mid-June.

Because the year was made of 365 days while each month consisted of 30 days, there remained five days which the ancient called 'the days of Al Nassie'.

[Source]   The Egyptian Gazette, Egypt, April 8, 2005.

By Hassan Saadallah

According to the Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA), Dr Zahi Hawass, the continuous rising level of the Nile and underground water as a result of irrigation projects could damage archaeological monuments.   Thus, studies have been undertaken to determine the effect of the water.

Referring to the double Nagaa Hamadi Barrages which are under construction, the Director of the Egyptian Antiquities Sector, Sabri Abdul Aziz, refuted that the barrages would have an adverse effect on nearby archaeological sites, the nearest being Dendera temple.

Abdul Aziz said that huge projects are underway to lower underground water, such as those at Karnak and Luxor temples, Kom Al Shoqafa in Alexandria, the pyramids of Fayyoum and Esna temple.

Disagreeing with Abdul Aziz, Abdul Hamid Qotb of Engineering Affairs said that the construction of Nagaa Hamadi Barrages is bound to raise underground water level.   This will inevitably have a harmful effect on monuments including Abidous, Ramesses II and Senwosret III temples, and Shunat Al Zabib in Suhag.   To solve this problem, there has to be a wall separating the two barrages; a difficult and costly project, he explained.

Qotb said that there is also a possibility that Naqada, which is about 31km south of Qena, would be affected.   Naqada is one of the richest sites in southern Egypt, containing seven monasteries dating back to the 4th century AD.   Rising underground water usually leads to the disintegration of foundations and the appearance of salts on walls, badly affecting inscriptions.

Despite executive steps taken by the Environment Protection Administration to carry out projects to lower underground water level in 22 sites believed to be affected by the Nagaa Hamadi barrages, Nasr Oweida of the Central Administration of Islamic Antiquities, calls upon the SCA to conduct updated studies on the potential impact of the barrages.

However, a ministry of information source said that the Nagaa Hamadi barrages feasibility studies, which lasted ten years, did not indicate any potential harm to nearby sites.

Yet the controversy continues, and not until the project is completed will the truth be revealed; we hope that by then it will not be too late to solve any problems.

[Source], The Egyptian Gazette, Egypt, April 8, 2005.