Egypt-13A-085 - City of the Dead
The city of the Dead , is a true curiosity, it is a cemetery, but also a city of the living. Originally, Cairo’s rulers selected the area for their tombs outside the crowed medieval city in a location that was mostly desert. However, dating back to early pharaonic times, Egyptians have not thought of cemeteries as places of the dead, but rather places where life begins. Hence, tombs were often thought of as places to entertain, and guest facilities for visitors were often appended to the tombs. So it came to be that squatters as early as the 14th century took up residence in the tombs, living easily alongside the dead. Cenotaphs are now used as tables and clothing lines are strung between headstones. Cairo, Egypt
Egypt-13A-085 - City of the Dead
The city of the Dead , is a true curiosity, it is a cemetery, but also a city of the living. Originally, Cairo’s rulers selected the area for their tombs outside the crowed medieval city in a location that was mostly desert. However, dating back to early pharaonic times, Egyptians have not thought of cemeteries as places of the dead, but rather places where life begins. Hence, tombs were often thought of as places to entertain, and guest facilities for visitors were often appended to the tombs. So it came to be that squatters as early as the 14th century took up residence in the tombs, living easily alongside the dead. Cenotaphs are now used as tables and clothing lines are strung between headstones. Cairo, Egypt