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Siwa Oasis
The Siwa sits in a depression, as do most of the oases, which today are frequently referred to as the Siwa depression. The depression is 82 kilometers (52 miles) long and between 9 and 28 kilometers wide. This is the most distant Egyptian oasis from the
Nile
Valley.
Siwa Oasis is different. It is not Egyptian, but North African. Most Siwans are Berbers, descendents of Bedouins that roamed the North African coast from
Tunisia to
Morocco. In appearance, dress, and language the Siwans are unique. Their customs are alien to the other Oases in the
Western
Desert, as is their history. Answering to a host of names through the centuries, Siwa has been called Santarieh, the Oasis of Jupiter-Amoun, Field of palm trees, and during the
Old Kingdom, Tehenu (Olive land).
Siwa Oasis is, the most inaccessible of all
Egypt’s oases until very recently, is also one of the most fascinating. On the edge of the
Great
Sand
Sea, its rich history includes a visit from Alexander the Great to consult the Oracle of Amoun in 331 BC.
Siwans have their own culture and customs and they speak a Berbers language, Wiwi, rather than Arabic. Many women still wear traditional costumes and silver jewelers like those displayed in The Traditional Siwan House museum in the town centre.
Siwa remains one of the best places to buy jewelers, rugs, baskets and traditional robes and head-dresses decorated with antique coins.
Most of the antiquities of the Siwa are now gone, many victims to illegal treasure hunters, though others succumbed to the harshness of time combined with the desert
Gabal Al Mawta
Gebel (Jebel) Al-Mawta in the Siwa Oasis of
Egypt is known Mountain of the Dead, because it is here in this conical mountain a little over a kilometer to the north of Shah along the main road a number of tombs are situated. Local residents also call it Gebel (Qaret) al-Musabbarin (Missabbarin), meaning Mountain of the Embalmed.
Hall of crowning Alexander the Great
The hall of crowning Alexander the Great, the
Dead
Mountain in Aldakrour area, which has some ancient mummeries and tombs from the Roman age, having a group of coins and old jewelry. There is also Deheba area which includes tombs engraved in the rocks from the Greek Roman era, and also Khamisa area including a group of tombs dating back to the Greek age.
The Siwan House
It is built on the old Siwan House style, and it contains handicrafts of Siwa oasis and displays customs and traditions of the inhabitants.
Amoun
Temple
It was dedicated to the worship of god Amoun. It still retains its engravings and paintings which represents the kings offering sacrifices to the gods.
Amoun
Prophecy
Temple (Oracle)
It another
temple of
Amen built in the reign of the 26tt dynasty (331 BC). Its importance is due to predicting the prophecy. When Alexander the Great conquered
Egypt, he visited the
Temple and received the prophecy from god Amoun.
Old Shali
Shali the fortification of Shah is located in the center of modern Siwa in the Siwa Oasis, The area dates from the 13th century.
Their construction of salt, mud, rock and plaster they fall more into ruin each year.
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