Aswan, Egypt
Island in the Nile
Sehel is a large island in the Nile about 3 km south-west of Aswan, halfway between the city and the old Aswan Dam, stretching across three-quarters of the river at the First Cataract. Ancient Egyptians called it Setet; it was sacred to Anuket, goddess of the cataracts, and also served as a granite quarry. Its highlight is the jumble of granite boulders on the southern hill, carved with more than two hundred inscriptions left from the 18th Dynasty onwards by travellers, commanders and officials setting out for Nubia or coming home. The best known is the Famine Stela, a Ptolemaic text that tells, in the name of King Djoser, of seven years of drought ended by honouring Khnum, god of the cataract. The island is also home to a welcoming Nubian village of around four thousand people with painted houses, known for its beadwork jewellery. The hilltop gives a wide view over the cataract rocks and the river.
Hire a motorboat or felucca from the corniche or the dam area; the river trip is half the pleasure. Allow two hours for the inscriptions and the village. Wear grippy shoes for scrambling between boulders, and go in the morning. Buying beadwork directly from the women of the village supports them; ask before taking photos.
Hours and prices change — check before you go. Source: en.wikipedia.org
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AttractionAswan, Egypt
