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TOUR NEWS Welcome to the latest edition of the Tour News of 'B.C. Archaeology Tours' where we take the opportunity to recap on our recent tour programs. We've had an exciting six months at the company with 5 tours successfully run from September 2006 till May 2007. This included a tour to Turkey, two tours to Egypt (one concentrating on Amarna period sites (18th Dynasty), the other on sites of the Ramesside Period (19th and 20th Dynasties)), a tour of Roman North Africa (Tunisia and Libya), and our new extended program looking at Ancient Italy. ITALY TOUR - APRIL-MAY 2007
The B.C Archaeology tour of Ancient Italy in April-May 2007 was a great success with a very enthusiastic group - they really wanted to see absolutely everything at the sites we visited so we always saw much more than the average tourist. The group included: Jacinta Prentice, Edda and Mikey Millner, Margaret Spink, Sue Etherington, Frank Atkinson and Michelle D'Arcy. Four members of the group had also done the B.C. Archaeology Roman North Africa tour and thus had an even more detailed view of ancient Roman culture and archaeology. They included: Ann and Ian Brown, Alex Radford, and Tony Howell. The tour leader was Dr Michael Birrell.
After checking into our hotel in the centre of Rome, the group headed off to see the Villa Giulia Etruscan Museum. This excellent museum has a superb collection of finds, the most famous being the beautiful terracotta Apollo from Veii. The following morning we headed north to the scenic little Renaissance hill town of Tarquinia. Here we toured the superb Etruscan tombs accompanied by local guide Isa Bianchi who also took us through the fascinating antiquities in the local museum. The next day we headed north again to see the Etruscan tombs at Cerveteri. Carved from the local pumice bedrock, these fascinating structures are built in the style of houses with elaborate architecture and beds for the dead. In the afternoon we visited the coastal site of Pyrgi which preserves the remains of two Etruscan temples. We then spent a week in Rome visiting the remarkable sites in the city and nearby. Our first day in Rome was a walking tour of the Roman and Imperial Forums. Our hotel was conveniently located within walking distance of this historic heart of the ancient city and we were able to explore the remarkable remains at our leisure. Our wanderings took us to the Capitoline Hill, where we had a pleasant coffee, then through the Forum area. In the late afternoon we visited the Colosseum.
The following day was a free day for everyone to follow their own interests. Some members of the group went down to see the Baths of Caracalla while others toured nearby Baroque churches or visited art galleries. Rome is so densely packed with artistic wonders that it would be possible to spend weeks seeing its main attractions. The following day we explored the historical remains on the Campus Martius. We took the metro to the Spanish Steps and from there we visited the Tomb of Augustus, the impressive Ara Pacis (Temple of Peace), and the extraordinary Pantheon built by the Emperor Hadrian. We stopped to see the Piazza Navona where we enjoyed a visit to the church of St Agnes, and also saw the Republican temples in the Circus Flaminius. After lunch we toured the superb Capitoline Museum with its magnificent new galleries highlighting the sculptural endeavours of the Romans from Republican to Imperial times. The following day we went by bus to see the impressive ruins of Ostia, the port of Rome located at the mouth of the Tiber River. Despite the site being inundated by hordes of invading school children, we were able to explore most of the ruins in relative solitude - we took the opportunity to explore less visited parts of the site. Highlights included the theatre and commercial district, the Baths of Neptune, and the Temple of Cybele. Our trip to Hadrian's Villa at Tivoli was scheduled for the following day, but it was raining quite heavily and we were able to switch days and see the Vatican Museum and St Peters Basilica instead. The queues outside the museum were unbelievable as it seems everyone else had the same idea. We managed to circumvent the wait by going on a guided program which took us through the highlights of the antiquities and to the Sistine Chapel. We then had time to revisit some of the galleries at our own pace for group discussion about the individual pieces. The crowds in the Museum were something to behold! St Peters was also very busy. The following day we headed up to Tivoli to see the very picturesque remains of the country residence of the Emperor Hadrian. It was a cool misty day and we had the chance to explore the site at leisure. Set in scenic olive groves, the ruins include impressive bath complexes, the stunning triclinium (dining room) beside the Canopus Pool, the Palace rooms and the beautiful Temple of Venus. We had a relaxed picnic lunch near the ruins of the Palace Library and were much entertained by Jacinta's quotes from the lyric poems of the Roman author Catullus. In the late afternoon we headed up to Tivoli to see the round temple and enjoyed a well earned coffee and rest.
The next day we packed up our belongings and headed south towards Pompeii where we spent the next couple of days. On the journey down we stopped to see the dramatically located Benedictine Monastery of Monte Cassino. Destroyed in World War II, it is now fully restored to its former splendour. We had some lunch in Ercolano before seeing the stunning ruins of Herculaneum. This ancient Roman city is preserved under 20m of volcanic mud which resulted in the preservation of multi-storey buildings and many of the wooden objects at the site. The following day was spent walking around the ruins of Pompeii, the antiquity site being located immediately opposite our hotel. We saw the amphitheatre and palaestra, then visited a number of ruined houses with interesting remains of painted frescoes. We had some morning tea in the site caf� and then toured the ancient Forum of Pompeii, before seeing the magnificent Villa of the Mysteries - this preserves some of the most superb wall paintings to survive from the ancient world. In the afternoon we saw the Stabian baths, but the queue for the brothel was a bit too long! Instead, we enjoyed the peace and quiet of the Triangular Forum and the Temple of Isis instead before heading back to town for coffee and cake. The following day was a free day for personal exploration of the fascinating archaeological sites in the area of Pompeii. A few members of the group took the opportunity to catch the local bus to the summit of Vesuvius for a misty view over the Bay of Naples - well done to those who made it to the top! Others went to see the Villa Oplontis, a private residence destroyed by the eruption in AD 79, while some went down to Sorento and crossed over to the Isle of Capri for the day. The tour leader went with Tony to Stabiae to see the two Roman villas on the edge of the Bay.
Our next day took us south to the wonderful site of Paestum, an ancient Greek colony about 80 km south of Naples. The site is renowned for its three striking Doric temples, remarkably well preserved. The ancient settlement contains many interesting buildings for exploration including the Roman Forum area, and the symbolic grave of the city's founders. We had a pleasant lunch with views across the ruins before heading off to the local Museum to see the precious carved reliefs from the local temples and the fascinating terracotta statues of the goddess Hera. The painted tomb reliefs from the local cemetery are a highlight as well. Our bus journey back to Pompeii was via the scenic Amalfi Coast, the road hugging the seep cliffs as we passed through Positano and Amalfi via this famous route. By the time we got back to the hotel I think we were all ready for a drink and congratulated Marco on his excellent driving skills.
The tour of Italy ended with a visit to the archaeological Museum in Naples. There we saw the remarkable Farnesi collection of sculpture from the Baths of Caracalla, as well as the mosaics, frescoes and objects from Pompeii and Herculaneum. A highlight was the famous Mosaic of Alexander which was recovered from the Villa of the Faun at Pompeii and composed of an astonishing one million stone tesserae. The afternoon was spent at the Villa Boscoreale (once we found it!) where we saw the remains of this interesting Roman farm house and learnt about the agricultural practices of the ancient Romans. The following morning we made our way to the airport on the outskirts of Rome. The majority of us were heading off back to Australia, but a few were staying on in Italy for more exploration of this wonderful country. ROMAN NORTH AFRICA TOUR (LIBYA AND TUNISIA) - APRIL 2007
The Roman North Africa tour in April 2007 went very well - we saw many fascinating sites and had a very enthusiastic and interested group. This included Bob and Kathy Parker, Harley Parker, Ann and Ian Brown, Jim and Lesley Hamilton, Wolfgang and Marisa Mitterhuemer, Mary-Ann and David Rose, Liz Anderson (a sucker for punishment as this was her second tour with B.C. Archaeology in the past year - well done Liz!!), Tony Howell, Alex Radford, Carmen Xuereb and Geraldine Read. The tour leader was Dr Michael Birrell.
The tour started in Cairo where we stayed overnight - we then headed north to Alexandria where we had a night in the comfortable Metropole Hotel, very close to the harbour. We explored some of the highlights of this historic city including Qaitbey Fort, site of the famous Lighthouse, and also saw the modern Library and its Museum. The following day we headed west along the Mediterranean coast and stopped at the WWII battle site of El Alamein. Here we saw the war museum and the nearby Commonwealth cemetery. We stayed overnight in Mersa Matruh and then the following day made our way to the Libyan border. The crossing was an experience in Middle Eastern organisation, but eventually we got through! We made our way to the Tobruk war cemetery and stayed overnight near Tobruk harbour. The following day we went along the Libyan coast and stopped to see the picturesque ruins of Apollonia accompanied by local archaeologist Adb el Ghader. We then checked into our hotel in Bayda which would be our base for a few days while we explored the superb and tranquil site of Cyrene. This ancient Greek settlement, perched on the top of an escarpment, has panoramic views across to the sea. The most dramatic scenery is that from the sanctuary of Apollo. At the local restaurant, Tony Howell was given something of a make-over and ended up looking like Sheikh Omar el-Mohktar, the local Libyan resistance leader against Italian rule in the 1930s!!
The following morning we visited the superb remains of the temple of Zeus and also saw the site Museum with its outstanding collection of sculpture from Cyrene. We then headed west by bus to Benghazi, stopping en route to see the Hellenistic Greek and Roman ruins of the city of Ptolemais. Highlights included the well preserved theatre, houses with mosaics and the Roman cisterns. We also visited the local museum of antiquities and had a very pleasant picnic in the gardens. In the afternoon we flew to Tripoli and checked into our hotel - this was the comfortable Bab el-Bahr (the Gate of the Sea) Hotel, with panoramic views along the coast. We next spent two days exploring the wonders of the massive Roman site of Leptis Magna. This is undoubtedly one of the most spectacular Roman ruins anywhere in the world. We had plenty of time to investigate the arch of Septimius Severus, the impressive theatre, the markets, the Old Forum, the Hadrianic baths, the Severan Forum and the Basilica. On the second day we explored the ancient harbour with its intact port and lighthouse, and saw the fantastic Roman amphitheatre nearby. We also visited the well laid out site museum with its beautiful collection of Roman sculpture. On the way back to Tripoli we stopped to see the ruins of the Villa Sileen, a remarkably well preserved private house with superb mosaics and frescoes. Our day in Tripoli enabled us to see the Libyan national museum, home to a superb collection of Roman sculpture and mosaics. We had a pleasant lunch near the Red Fort, visited the arch of Marcus Aurelius, and had a walk in the Old City to do some shopping. The following day we headed west to see the Roman site of Sabratha. This ancient city is very well preserved, the highlight being the superb Roman theatre and the picturesque Forum near the sea shore. We also saw the Roman amphitheatre which retains a romantic tumble-down feel. The day ended with a visit to the Temple of Isis, perched romantically near the seashore, where we studied the literature of Apuleius and his evocative description of the festival of Isis.
The next day we flew to Tunis where we checked into the centrally located Carlton Hotel and had a wander around the city. The following day we visited the Great Mosque in the Old City, saw the picturesque Tombs of the Beys, and also saw a beautiful old merchant's house. The rest of the day was one of rest and relaxation, with some members of the group taking the opportunity to buy carpets or explore the maze of shops in the Medina. Next on our itinerary was the magnificent Bardo Museum in Tunis, world-famous for its collection of Roman mosaics. These remarkable masterpieces, derived from a number of Tunisian sites, show many aspects of ancient life and religion. The collection is today housed in a beautiful Ottoman palace together with sculpture and art objects representative of Tunisian history. The following morning we enjoyed a beautiful spring day exploring the ruins of the ancient Punic and Roman city of Carthage. We started at the Tophet cemetery, and then wandered around the Punic harbour where we saw the original slipways of the Punic fleet. We then went to the top of Bursa Hill where we saw the Museum and explored the ancient houses and the amphitheatre. In the afternoon we visited the picturesque suburb of Sidi Bou Said with its spectacular views of the Bay of Tunis. We had a coffee and smoked a water pipe in a local caf� as the sun went down over the Bay of Tunis. We next had a day trip to the picturesque Cape Bon located to the east of Tunis. Here we saw the ruins of the ancient Punic settlement of Kerkouane. This is the best preserved Punic city in the world and is famous for its houses and temple. We also toured the local archaeological museum and had a pleasant seafood lunch with views overlooking the ocean. The following day we travelled by bus through the green Medjerja River Valley. We had the entire afternoon to explore the spectacular ancient Roman site of Dougga which is located on a scenic hill overlooking the farmland. It was an evocative misty day as we explored the theatre, the Temple of Saturn, the impressive Capitol (Temple of Jupiter), the Roman bath complex and a number of houses with mosaic floors. In the late afternoon we had a short bus ride to El Kef where we checked into our hotel.
We spent the next morning in El Kef, a picturesque hill town with panoramic views of the local countryside. Here we visited the Sufi school with its collection of Berber artefacts and explored the Ottoman fortress. In the afternoon we travelled south to Sbeitla, location of the ancient Roman city of Sufetula. We subsequently explored this remarkable site, famed for its superb Temple of Mineva. Other highlights included the Arch of Diocletian, the Roman bridge and the house mosaics. The afternoon was free for a swim in the hotel pool. The next day we headed east to the coastal city of Sousse stopping at the mediaeval city of Kairouan. Here we toured the impressive Grand Mosque which incorporates numerous columns from classical buildings. We also had a look at some carpets before taking a walk through the Kairouan medina. In the afternoon we headed to Sousse, a well preserved mediaeval city on the coast. There was free time the following day to explore the Grand Mosque and the fortified rabat (school) with its impressive watch tower, while some of the group visited the Late Ottoman house of a rich merchant family, or the beautiful Sousse Museum located within the fortified Kasbah.
The last day of the program was spent at El Jem, location of the ancient city of Thysdrus. In the morning we stopped to see how mosaics are made, and then saw the superb Museum of El Jem, housing remarkable Roman mosaics from the local area. Nearby was the 'House of Africa', a reconstructed Roman Villa. In the afternoon we saw the awe inspiring El Jem amphitheatre which still retains its underground cells for animals and gladiators. The restaurant outside must have one of the best views in the world! The following day we headed back to Tunis for our connecting flights. A very enjoyable tour! RAMESSES EGYPT TOUR - JANUARY 2007
The January 2007 tour of Ramesside Egypt was a great success with an adventurous and enthusiastic group enjoying all the wonderful sites in Egypt. The tour included Claire Bousfield from Adelaide, Tracey Shand from Melbourne, Lyn Galloway from Queensland, as well as Greg and Bev Batten, Carol Rowe, Warwick Barnard, and Philip Davies from NSW. The tour leader was Dr Michael Birrell, and we were accompanied by Mohamed Aziz, who did a great job in helping make the tour a success.
Most of the group arrived in the early morning into Cairo and checked into the Cosmopolitan Hotel in downtown Cairo - the hotel has an evocative feel of a bygone era, with its grand chandelier and old style lift. Lyn managed to get stuck in Singapore, however, and then lost her luggage for the first week so we had to buy her some clothes in the local shopping district which caused much fun for the local shop assistants. On the first day we went to the Cairo Museum for an informal visit. An afternoon beer on the roof terrace of the Hilton Hotel, watching the sun setting behind the distant pyramids, was a relaxing way to end the day. We started the tour proper at the ruins of Saqqara where we saw the Step Pyramid of Zoser. We then visited the Old Kingdom mastaba tombs of Mereruka and Kagemni. Lunch was at Memphis where we saw the colossus of Ramesses, and some of the ruins of the temple of Ptah. For our trip north to Tanis on the following day we had a brooding overcast day which suited the atmosphere of this dramatic site with its numerous broken obelisks and statues of Ramesses II. A highlight was the inscribed tombs of the Libyans Kings and the statue of Princess Meritamun, daughter of Ramesses, at Bubastis.
The next day we went to Giza where we admired the Great Pyramid of Khufu and explored the surrounds. A visit to the nearby Boat Museum, housing the superb cedar boat of Khufu, was a highlight - everyone looked very fetching in their cloth shoe covers designed to keep the place clean! We had lunch near the sphinx, with a stunning view of the pyramids. We subsequently headed to the Khan el-Khalili markets in Old Cairo where everyone tried smoking a water pipe in the famous Fishawy Caf� (tobacco only of course!). We flew to Luxor next morning, checked into the Nile Valley Hotel and had some breakfast. We were treated with a remarkable sight directly in front of us - a flotilla of boats brought US Secretary of State Condolezza Rice and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak across the Nile to the haunting theme of the Godfather!!! Visions of Cleopatra and Mark Antony came easily to our minds. The river crossing was off limits for some time and our planned crossing was delayed until the esteemed guests had passed by. We therefore made an afternoon visit to the beautiful temple of Luxor. In the evening we enjoyed a buffet meal and watched some sufi-style dancing on the roof of our hotel. Warwick displayed hidden talents in accompanying the local musicians.
Our planned visit to the Valley of the Kings the following morning was disrupted by another visit by Cleo and Antony - instead, we got in one of the local boats for hire and headed to Karnak Temple, unexpectedly pursued by the police who apparently considered us a security risk!! Never-the-less, we made it to Karnak, and enjoyed our exploration of this wonderful complex of buildings. It was a good afternoon for a sail, and we went for a felucca ride in the afternoon with the cloud formations giving us a splendid atmospheric effect. The following morning we stopped at the Colossi of Memnon and then visited the ancient town site of Deir el-Medina, home to the workers who decorated the tombs in the Valley of the Kings. We saw two beautiful painted tombs and then did the walk across the Theban Hills to Deir el-Bahri. The view was superb, with a fresh clear morning, and Bev did very well in conquering her fear of heights. In the afternoon we saw the Ramesseum, the beautiful temple of Ramesses the Great.
In Luxor we also saw the excellent antiquities Museum, the mortuary temple of Ramesses III at Medinet Habu, the Valley of the Queens and the Valley of the Kings and made a day trip to Abydos and Dendera to see the temples. We also had some free time for personal exploration of Luxor. A highlight for many was the chance to visit the family home of Musa, one of the staff of the Nile Valley Hotel. This humbling experience revealed the simplicity of life in rural Egypt and made us all feel how fortunate we are. Our travels then took us south by bus to Aswan stopping at the superb ruins of Edfu and Kom Ombo. We checked into the Marhaba Hotel with excellent views across the Nile to the Nobles Tombs on the west bank. We visited the Temple of Philae, the granite quarries and the Aswan High Dam. We also climbed to the top of the Dome of the Winds, visited the Botanical Island and explored the Nubian Museum. A visit to the Nubia House restaurant gave us superb views over the river. Our cruise on Lake Nasser was undoubtedly a highlight of the program. The 'Kasr Ibrim' is a very comfortable boat with excellent service and food. The weather was perfect for our visit, and it was very relaxing to sit on the deck at the end of the day and watch the world go by as the sun set over the desert landscape. We saw the superb rock temples of Ramesses II at Abu Simbel and went to the sound and light show. The boat headed north to Aswan, stopping at temple sites along the way. Warwick (otherwise known as Wazza) bought a waz-sceptre, Egyptian symbol of power, during one of our stops. Our tour ended in Cairo with a chance to explore the medieval mosques of the Old City, and we made a visit to the Cairo Museum. There was time for last minute shopping in the Khan el-Khalili markets before heading back home to Australia. AMARNA EGYPT TOUR - NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2006
The B.C. Archaeology Tour of Amarna Egypt in November-December 2006 was a great success with everyone enjoying our exploration of the remarkable sites connected with the Amarna Period. There were 13 of us on the tour which included Martin Roulston, Joan Kelleher, their son Adam Kelleher-Roulston and Peter Maddern from Melbourne, Liz Anderson from Adelaide, and Angela La Loggia, Sue Turner, Connie Lord, Deborah Russell, and Barbara and Barry Bryett from Sydney. The group leader was Dr Michael Birrell and the Egyptian guide was Mohamed Aziz (otherwise known just as Aziz).
The tour began in Cairo where we stayed a few days at the Pearl Hotel in the southern suburb of Maadi. We arrived at Cairo International Airport in the early morning and after checking into the hotel we had some breakfast in a local caf�. The afternoon was taken up with an informal visit to the Cairo Museum which gave everyone a taste of Egyptian culture. A beer at the Grand Caf� near the Nile was an excellent end to the day.
At Saqqara we had a chance to see the newly opened Imhotep Museum. This excellent little Museum is dedicated to artefacts found at the site and includes many pieces never previously on display to the public. We also saw the Third Dynasty Step Pyramid of Zoser and made a quick dash across the desert to see the well preserved tombs of the Amarna Period, including the beautiful tomb of the General Horemhab, military leader during the reign of Tutankhamun. In the afternoon we visited the Old Kingdom mastaba tombs of Mereruka and Kagemni and the colossus of Ramesses II at Memphis. The following morning was spent at Giza where we walked around the outside of the Great Pyramid of Khufu. Some of the group went for a camel ride around the area to experience the superb desert scenery. We visited the pyramid of Khafre where some of the group went inside. Lunch was spent at a Giza caf� with a great view of the pyramids. In the afternoon we headed off to the Khan el-Khalili for a first visit to these exciting markets. The next day we went south through the western desert to the edge of the Fayyum Oasis. Here we saw the extensive ruins of the Roman Period town of Karanis which preserves remains of two stone temples, ruined houses and baths (Adam tried the Roman bath for size!). Lunch was spent in a restaurant at the edge of the picturesque Fayyum Lake. In the afternoon we stopped to have a look at the pyramid of Senwosret II at Lahun where we climbed part of the way up the ruins. The pyramid is set in a dramatic desert landscape above the cultivation and Angela took a particular interest in the mudbricks (customs may have had a problem if she'd bought back a souvenir!). A brief visit to the ruins of Kahun resulted in the discovery of numerous artefacts including a dolerite pounder and worked granite fragments. We then packed our bags and headed south on the early morning First Class train from Cairo to Minya. After checking into our new hotel (the Cleopatra) we had some lunch and in the afternoon we visited the ancient city of Akhoris, now called Tehna el-Gebel. Here we saw the dramatic temple built by the Roman Emperor Nero, the ruins of this Roman city, and enjoyed the superb view over the agricultural zone.
The next day we crossed the river and headed south of Minya to see a number of sites on the east bank. The first stop was Beni Hasan where we saw the beautiful painted tombs of the 11th and 12th Dynasties. Numerous attempts were made to take photographs with some success (the guards are sticklers for the no-photographs-in- the-tombs rule but some of us managed to get some decent photos - without flash of course! Well done Angela!). We had a picnic lunch in the caf� at Beni Hasan before we headed into the desert to see the rock cut temple of Queen Hatshepsut of the 18th Dynasty. On our return to Minya we saw the ancient city and tombs of Hebenu, modern Kom el-Ahmar. Almost everyone wanted to climb down the wooden ladder into the Tomb of Nefer-sekheru. A highlight of the tour was the two days spent at the ruins of Akhetaten (modern Amarna), the ancient royal capital built by King Akhenaton. We started our visit by looking at the superb North Tombs with their stunning painted reliefs and view across the desert plain. We then went to see the Royal Tomb and in the afternoon saw Boundary Stelae U, carved by Akhenaton to define the limits of his new city. The next day we came back to explore the ruins of the ancient city buildings including the temples to the Aten and the Royal Palace - the group enjoyed looking for the distinctive Amarna blue painted pottery, with some success! The afternoon was spent in the South Tombs where we read the Hymn to the Aten in the tomb of Ay. The river crossing to Amarna is very tranquil and evocative and a wonderful way to approach this historic place. The following morning we travelled to the modern town of Malawi where we stopped to see the local Museum - the locals were impressed that someone wanted to buy their replica Amarna statues. We then went to nearby Tuna el-Gebel where we have a picnic lunch. Here we saw the painted Ptolemaic tombs, including the famous Greek tomb of Petosiris, the Boundary Stela of Akhenaton, and the atmospheric underground galleries housing the mummified remains of the sacred ibises and baboons of Thoth. We then visited the ancient site of Khmun, modern Ashmunein, and saw the ruins of the temple of Thoth and the Christian cathedral of the 5th Century.
The following day we caught the First Class train to Luxor. We spent a week in Luxor exploring the many local sites. This included the ruins of the Temple of Luxor, located in the heart of the modern city. We saw the Colossi of Memnon (two monumental seated statues of King Amenhotep III) and the Palace of Malkata, built by Amenhotep III for the celebration of his Jubilee Festivals. We also saw some of the painted tombs of the 18th Dynasty in the Theban Hills. A day at Karnak Temple enabled us to concentrate on the Amarna Period remains and scenes. We also walked across the Theban Hills and saw the superb Mortuary temple of Queen Hatshepsut of the 18th Dynasty, including the recently opened Third Terrace. We also toured the Valley of the Kings and took the opportunity to explore the seldom visited tomb of King Ay in the West Valley. A number of day trips from Luxor enabled us to explore nearby sites of historical value. These included the mortuary temples of Sety I and Ramesses II at Abydos, the impressive Ptolemaic Temple of Hathor at Dendera and the magnificent painted tombs of the 18th Dynasty at el Kab. We then flew back to Cairo where we had an afternoon exploring the Mosques of the Old City and spent a day in the Cairo Museum. A very enjoyable tour, with much interest and enthusiasm from the group. The end of tour quiz was hotly contested by all! TURKEY TOUR - SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2006
The B.C. Archaeology Tour of Turkey in September-October 2006 was a great success with everyone enjoying the splendid sites of this beautiful country. The tour group consisted of 12 enthusiastic participants who were all eager to survey the ruins in this 19 day program exploring the antiquities of Turkey. This included: Robin and Robert Callister, Cathy Clarke, Jane and Mike Costello, John and Lyn Dun, Robyn and Bill Hawkshaw, Margaret Larkin, Bob Snow, and Alan Stuckey. The group was lead by Dr Michael Birrell and the Turkish guide was Sedat Cakmak who added much interesting information about local culture and modern history.
The tour began in Istanbul where we stayed for a few days in the comfortable Askin Hotel. This is located in the historic heart of the city, a short walk from the Blue Mosque. This family run hotel is in the picturesque suburb of Sultanahmet and from the roof, where we had our breakfasts, there was a magnificent view of the Bosphorus and the Blue Mosque. Our first afternoon took us through the area of the Hippodrome with its fascinating collection of antiquities including an obelisk of the Egyptian pharaoh Tuthmosis III. From here we walked to the Grand Bazaar with its colourful markets. The following two days were spent exploring some of the historic sites of Istanbul. We saw the marvellous Archaeological Museum with its rich collection of classical sculpture and artefacts from Troy. We also saw the nearby 'Basilica Cistern' built by the Byzantine Emperor Justinian to contain an enormous volume of water for the city. It is an awe inspiring underground complex! We also spent a day wandering around the mediaeval Ottoman Palace known a Topkapi. The palace is justly famous for its superb harem rooms lined with sumptuous Iznik tiles, and the exhibited treasures of the Ottoman Sultans. We explored this vast complex of courts, gardens, and state rooms, and had lunch near famous Seraglio Point overlooking the Bosphorus. We then travelled southward by coach along the shore of the Sea of Marmara to the Gallipoli Peninsula. We stopped for lunch near the Dardanelles Strait and then toured the main battle sites including Anzac Cove, Lone Pine and the Nek. The view from the summit gave us a chance to appreciate the incredible hardships faced by fighters on both sides. In the afternoon we crossed the Dardanelles by ferry and checked into our hotel in Canakkale. The following day we spent 4 pleasant hours at the site of Troy, a fascinating archaeological spot famously excavated in the late 19th Century by Heinrich Schliemann. We took our time to really examine the site in detail and also read through some atmospheric quotes of Homer dramatic poem 'The Iliad'. In the afternoon we returned to Canakkale to explore the town and the local fort containing a collection of WWI artefacts. The following day we headed south to the town of Bergama. The bus trip took us through dramatic mountainous country and along the scenic coast. We had some lunch in the town before visiting the Red Hall, the ancient Temple of Serapis, and the town's Archaeological Museum with an interesting collection of artefacts from the local excavations. The next day was devoted to the beautiful ruins of the ancient city of Pergamon perched on the top of a nearby hill. This Hellenistic city developed as a major centre of art and culture in the 3rd and 2nd Century BC, and we took our time to explore the royal palaces, the library, the remarkable theatre and the Temple of Trajan. Unlike most tourists we then walked down through the middle city to explore the Temple of Demeter and the picturesque Gymnasium complex - John, always interested in wandering off to take photographs, managed to loose himself in the ruins but caught a taxi and met up with us later! In the afternoon, after a late lunch, we explored the Asklepeieon, the ancient medical centre with its fascinating complex of buildings.
We next spent a morning at a local carpet factory learning how silk is produced and how carpets are woven - many members of the group bought more carpets than expected! Our travels then took us south to Selcuk where we stayed in the small family run Bella Hotel which has picturesque views over Selcuk's ancient Turkish fort. This was to be our base for the next 6 days as we toured the sites in the local area. We spent a day exploring the wonderful ruins of Ephesus, one of the most heavily visited sites in the Mediterranean - thankfully these 'tourists' only stay about 1 hour and head back to their cruise ships, giving the rest of us 'students of history' the opportunity to have a more in-depth look at the city over 5 hours. This included the newly revamped display of the wealthy private houses now accessible via an impressive perspex staircase that enables you to walk through the houses and see the mosaics and frescoes in detail. The next day we saw the superb ruins of Priene, an ancient city perched on a dramatic hillside with picturesque ruins of the agora, town hall, theatre, and awe inspiring Temple of Athena. The afternoon was spent in the Selcuk Archaeological Museum with its fascinating collection of artefacts from Ephesus and the local area.
A day was then spent at the ruins of Miletus and the nearby dramatic ruins of the Temple of Apollo at Didyma. We had some fun trying to locate the ancient lions which guarded the entrance to the harbour of Miletus, now half buried in silt. A free day then provided a much needed rest, although most of us could not resist the urge to shop at the local markets. In the afternoon we went up into the hills for a wander around the very pretty little village of Sirince. Dating to the 19th Century it is preserved as a heritage enclave. A very pleasant evening meal was had on the terrace with a panoramic view of the village and surrounding countryside.
A day trip to the site of Aphrodisias, sacred to the goddess of love, enabled us to explore this wonderful site famous for its well preserved stadium and beautiful sculpture. Mike and Jane enjoyed relaxing in the hammocks at the restaurant. We next flew to Ankara where we spent an afternoon at the Ataturk Mausoleum, a dramatic modern building with interesting War Memorial collection. The following day we travelled east of Ankara to the ancient Hittite capital of Hattusas, set in a dramatic mountain landscape and preserving impressive remains of temples, palaces, and city gates from 3500 years ago. A pleasant lunch was had at a local hotel before we explored the rock-cut shrine of Yazilikaya with its representation of the chief Hittite gods. Our last day in Ankara enabled us to explore the scenic citadel, have an ice cream and spend time in the Museum of Anatolian Civilisations. The last few days of our tour were spent in Cappadocia, famed for its impressive landscape of weathered volcanic ash in the foothills of the Erciyes volcano. We travelled south by bus from Ankara via an enormous salt lake and checked into our comfortable hotel in Urgup. This was our base for exploring Uchisar Castle, a dramatic outcropping of pumice, the picturesque ruins of Goreme and the striking landscape of Zelve. Many members of the group took the opportunity of a dawn balloon ride above this magical landscape.
We subsequently flew back to Istanbul where we toured the remarkable Haghia Sophia basilica, built in the 6th Century AD by the Byzantine Emperor Justinian. We also saw the impressive Blue Mosque built in the 17th Century at the height of the Ottoman Empire. Last minute shopping in the Grand Bazaar saw the end of our wonderful adventures in Turkey before the flight back to Australia. |
