Saladin Citadel of Cairo

1900 PICTURE OF THE CITADEL

The Citadel is a medieval Islamic fortification in Cairo, Egypt located on Mokattam hill near the center of Cairo, it was once famous for its fresh breeze and grand views of the city. 

It is now a preserved historic site, with many mosques and museums. In 1976, it was proclaimed by UNESCO as a part of the World Heritage Site Historic Cairo (Islamic Cairo), which was "the new centre of the Islamic world”, reaching its golden age in the 14th century.

History

To protect the citadel from the Crusaders, the Ayyubid ruler Salah al-Din (Saladin) fortified it between 1176 and 1183 CE. After defeating the Fatimid Caliphate, Saladin set out to build a wall that would surround both Cairo and Fustat. Saladin is recorded as saying, "With a wall I will make the two [cities of Cairo and Fustat] into a unique whole, so that one army may defend them both; and I believe it is good to encircle them with a single wall from the bank of the Nile to the bank of the Nile." The Citadel would be the centerpiece of the wall. Built on a promontory beneath the Muqattam Hills, a setting that made it difficult to attack, the efficacy of the Citadel's location is further demonstrated by the fact that it remained the heart of Egyptian government until the 19th century.

The citadel stopped being the seat of government when Egypt's ruler, Khedive Ismail, moved to his newly built Abdin Palace in the Ismailiya neighborhood in the 1860s.

While the Citadel was completed in 1183–1184, the wall Saladin had envisioned was still under construction in 1238, long after his death.

THE  COURTYARD

To supply water to the Citadel, Saladin built the 85-metre (280 ft) deep Well of Joseph (so-called because Saladin's birth name, Yousef, “Joseph”), which can still be seen today. This well is also known as the Well of the Spiral because its entrance consisted of 300 stairs that wound around the inside of the well. Once water was raised from the well to the surface, it traveled to the Citadel on a series of aqueducts.

During the reign of al-Nasir Muhammad, the Well of Joseph failed to produce enough water for the numerous animals and humans then living in the Citadel. To increase the volume of water, Nasir built a water supply system that consisted of a number of water wheels on the Nile; the water was then transported to the wall and subsequently to the Citadel, via the aqueducts Saladin had constructed.

THE PULPIT

The improvements to the Citadel's water supply were not Nasir's only additions to the Citadel, which was subject to a number of different additions during the Mamluk period. Nasir's most notable contribution was the Mosque of Nasir. In 1318 rebuilding the Ayyubid structure and turned it into a mosque that bear his name. The structure underwent further additions in 1335. Other contributions to the Citadel during Nasir's reign include the structure's southern enclosure (the northern enclosure was completed by Saladin) and the residential area, which included space for the harem and the courtyard. Prior to Nasir's work on the Citadel, the Baybars constructed the Hall of Justice and the "House of Gold."

The Citadel is sometimes referred to as Mohamed Ali Citadel (Qalaʿat Muḥammad ʿAlī), because it contains the Mosque of Muhammad Ali, which was built by Muhammad Ali Pasha between 1828 and 1848, it is perched on the summit of the citadel.

This Ottoman mosque was built in memory of Tusun Pasha, Muhammad Ali's second son who died in 1816. However, it also represents Muhammad Ali's efforts to erase symbols of the Mamluk dynasty that he replaced. When Ottoman ruler Muhammad Ali Pasha took control from the Mamluks in 1805 he altered many of the additions to the Citadel that reflected Cairo's previous leaders. One obvious change that Muhammad Ali enacted pertained to the uses of the Citadel's northern and southern enclosures. During the Mamluk period the southern enclosure was the residential area, but Muhammad Ali claimed the northern enclosure as the royal residence when he took power. He then opened the southern enclosure to the public and effectively established his position as the new leader.

MINARETS

The mosque is the other feature of the Citadel that reflects the reign of Muhammad Ali. It features a large dome and overtly Ottoman influenced architecture that looms over the Citadel to this day. Recently destroyed Mamluk palaces within the Citadel provided space for the formidable mosque, which was the largest structure to be established in the early 19th century. Placing the mosque where the Mamluks had once reigned was an obvious effort to erase the memory of the older rulers and establish the importance of the new leader. The mosque also replaced the mosque of al-Nasir as the official state mosque.

Muhammad Ali chose to build his state mosque entirely in the architectural style of his former overlords, the Ottomans, unlike the Mamluks who, despite their political submission to the Ottomans, stuck to the architectural styles of the previous Mamluk dynasties.

The mosque was built with a central dome surrounded by four small and four semicircular domes. It was constructed in a square plan and measured 41x41 meters. The central dome is 21 meters in diameter and the height of the building is 52 meters. Two elegant cylindrical minarets of Turkish type with two balconies and conical caps are situated on the western side of the mosque, and rise to 82 meters.

MOHAMED ALI MOSQUE INTERIOR

The use of this style, combined with the presence of two minarets and multiple half-domes surrounding the central dome — features reserved for mosques built on the authority of the Sultan — were a defiant declaration of de facto Egyptian independence.

The main material is limestone but the lower storey and forecourt is tiled with alabaster up to 11,3 meters. The external facades are severe and angular and rise about four storey’s until the level of the lead-covered domes.

The mihrab (pulpit) on the southeastern wall is three storey’s high and covered with a semicircular dome. There are two arcades on the second storey, rising on columns and covered with domes. Although there are three entrances on each side of the forecourt, the usual entry is through the northeastern gate. The forecourt measures 50x50 meters. It is enclosed by arched riwaks (Courtyard) rising on pillars and covered by domes.

There is a brass clock tower in the middle of the northwestern riwak, that was a gift to Muhammad Ali by King Louis Philippe of France in 1845. The clock was reciprocated with the obelisk of Luxor now standing in Place de la Concorde in Paris.

NAPOLEONIC AQUARELLE OF THE CITADEL

The interior has a measure of 41x41 meters and gives a great feeling of space. The use of two levels of domes gives a much greater sense of space than there actually is. The central dome rises on four arches standing on colossal piers. There are four semicircular domes around the central dome. There are four smaller domes on the corners as well. The domes are painted and embellished with motifs in relief. The walls and pillars are covered with alabaster up to 11 meters high.

Mosques

There are three main mosques at the Citadel:

  

Al-Nasir Muhammad Mosque

Built in 1318, during the early Bahri Mamluk period, as the royal mosque of the Citadel where the sultans of Cairo performed their Friday prayers, today this hypostyle mosque is still similar to how it looked in the 1300 though many repairs have been made. It is open to the public though infrequently visited by tourists. The parts of the building relying on plastered walls have been reinforced. There have also been attempts to restore the light-blue color of the ceiling.

Mosque of Sulayman Pasha

Built in 1528, it was first of the Citadel's Ottoman-style mosques. It was built on the ruins of an old mosque of Abu Mansur Qusta.

FORTIFICATION TOWER

Mosque of Muhammad Ali

The mosque was built between 1830 and 1848, although not completed until the reign of Said Pasha in 1857. The architect was Yusuf Bushnak from Istanbul and its model was the Sultan Ahmed Mosque in that city. Muhammad Ali Pasha was buried in a tomb carved from Carrara marble, in the courtyard of the mosque. His body was transferred here from Hawsh al-Basha in 1857.

Museums

The Citadel also contains three museums:

Al-Gawhara Palace Museum

Also known as Bijou Palace, is a palace and museum commissioned by Muhammad Ali Pasha in 1814. The palace was designed and constructed by artisans contracted from a variety of countries, including Greeks, Turks, Bulgarians and Albanians. Muhammad Ali's official divan or audience hall, where the pasha received guests, contains a 1000kg chandelier sent to him by Louis-Philippe I of France. The palace also contains the throne of Muhammad Ali Pasha that was a gift from the King of Italy.

Carriage Museum

Inaugurated in 1983, it houses a collection of unique Royal Carriages attributed to different historical periods, from the reign of Khedive Ismail until the reign of King Farouk, in addition to other collection of unique antiques related to the carriages.

INTERIOR OF MILITARY MUSEUM

Egyptian Military museum

The Egyptian Army museum was established in 1937 at the old building of the Egyptian Ministry of War in downtown Cairo. It was later moved to a temporary location in the Garden City district of Cairo. In November 1949 the museum was moved to the Haram Palace at the Cairo citadel. It has been renovated several times since, in 1982 and 1993.

Some Cairo Citadel Facts

When the Cairo Citadel construction was completed, it accommodated the ruler of Egypt Al Malek El Kamel . He was the first king to live in it. It was the seat of the government and palace until 1860 when Egypt's ruler Khedive Ismail moved out of the Citadel of Cairo into his own new castle.  The Citadel was home to the rulers of Egypt for 700 years.

OLD CATAPULT IN MUSEUM

- The wall that Saladin had begun to build to protect Cairo and Fustat was still under construction after he died. It was near completion only in 1238.

- The Citadel was enlarged in the 13th to 14th century.

- The Cairo Citadel is considered to be one the most elegant of the fortresses that were built during the Middle Ages.

- When the French invaded Cairo in 1798. The Citadel was important in helping to protect the city but eventually after a long battle Napoleon Bonaparte's army took control.

View of Citadel from new Aga Khan Gardens

- The Citadel of Cairo is considered to be one of the ‘greatest monuments of medieval warfare'.

- To avoid losing his governance over Egypt threatened by the Mamlukes, Mohamed Ali prepared for an official banquet and invited all the Mamlukes dignitaries and officers. They all came dressed in formal dress with almost no combat weapons; as they were leaving the citadel after the banquet they were taken by surprise at the gate called Bab El-Wazer. Mohamed Ali had ordered his troops to close the doors of the gate and kill all the high-ranking Mamlukes.
Due to the surprise factor all the mamlukes perished, except for one that survived the Massacre and fled to Syria.

This Massacre was called "The Citadel Massacre" or in Arabic "mazbahat el qala’a"

- The Eagle of Saladin depicted on the citadel became the coat of arms of Egypt (seen on the Egyptian flag) and it later was used by other Arab nations.

This eagle is on the west wall of the citadel and the head is missing. Studies suggested that it used to be a double headed eagle. It only appeared on the walls of the citadel around  1670 from an unknown location.

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VIDEO OF THE CITADEL OF CAIRO IN ALL IT'S SPLENDOR

Coptic Christmas

Coptic calendar, also called the Alexandrian calendar, is a liturgical calendar used by the Coptic Orthodox Church based on the ancient Egyptian calendar and still in use today in Egypt.  A reform of the ancient Egyptian calendar was introduced at the time of Ptolemy III (Decree of Canopus, in 238 BC) that consisted of the intercalation of a sixth (intercalary) day every fourth year. However, the Egyptian priests opposed this reform, and the idea was only adopted later in 25 BC, when the Roman Emperor Augustus formally reformed the calendar of Egypt, keeping it forever synchronized with the newly introduced Julian calendar. To distinguish it from the Ancient Egyptian calendar, which remained in use by some astronomers until medieval times, this reformed calendar is known as the Coptic calendar. Its years and months coincide with those of the Ethiopian calendar but have different numbers and names.

The Coptic year is the extension of the ancient Egyptian civil year, retaining its subdivision into the three seasons, four months each. Special prayers in the Coptic Liturgy commemorate the three seasons. This calendar is still in use all over Egypt by farmers to keep track of the various agricultural seasons (note: with accuracy to days).

The Coptic calendar has 13 months, 12 of 30 days each and one intercalary month at the end of the year of 5 days in length, except in leap years when the month is 6 days. Today, and until 2099, the year starts on 11 September in the Julian calendar or on the 12th in the year before Leap Years.

Coptic Christmas is observed on what the Julian calendar labels 25 December; a date that currently corresponds with January 7 on the more widely used Gregorian calendar (which is also when Christmas is observed in Eastern Orthodox countries such as Russia).

The 25 December Nativity of Christ was attested very early by Hippolytus of Rome (170–236) in his Commentary on Daniel 4:23: "The first coming of our Lord, that in the flesh, in which he was born in Bethlehem, took place eight days before the calends of January, a Wednesday, in the forty-second year of the reign of Augustus, 5500 years from Adam."

Another early source is Theophilus Bishop of Caesarea (115–181): "We ought to celebrate the birth-day of our Lord on what day so ever the 25th of December shall happen." (From origin Festorum Christianorum). However, it was not until 367 that December 25 has begun to be universally accepted. Before that, the Eastern Church had kept January 6 as the Nativity under the name "Epiphany."

FEBRUARY / MARCH

John Chrysostom, in a sermon preached in Antioch in 387, relates how the correct date of the Nativity was brought to the East ten years earlier. Dionysius of Alexandria emphatically quoted mystical justifications for this very choice. 25 March was considered to be the anniversary of Creation itself. It was the first day of the year in the medieval Julian calendar and the nominal vernal equinox (it had been the actual equinox at the time when the Julian calendar was originally designed). Considering that Christ was conceived on that date, 25 March was recognized as the Feast of the Annunciation which had to be followed, nine months later, by the celebration of the birth of Christ, Christmas, on 25 December.

Solstice 

There may have been more practical considerations for choosing 25 December. The choice would help substitute a major Christian holiday for the popular Pagan celebrations surrounding the Winter Solstice (Roman Sol Sticia, the three-day stasis when the sun would rise consecutively in its southernmost point before heading north, December 21, 22 and 23. The celebrations began a full week prior to the religious observance and the drunken revellers were expectantly sobered and orgies exhausted by the festivals close, prompting the eve or vigil of the 24th/25th as an optimally moral and safe time for the Feast of Christ's Nativity).

The religious competition was fierce. In AD 274, Emperor Aurelian had declared a civil holiday on 25 December (the "Festival of the birth of the Unconquered Sun") to celebrate the deity Sol Invictus. Finally, joyous festivals are needed at that time of year, to fight the natural gloom of the season (in the Northern Hemisphere).

DECEMBER / JANUARY

Until the 16th century, 25 December coincided with 29 of “Koiak” month in the Coptic calendar. However, upon the introduction of the Gregorian calendar in 1582, 25 December shifted 10 days earlier in comparison with the Julian and Coptic calendars. Furthermore, the Gregorian calendar drops 3 leap days every 400 years to closely approximate the length of a solar year. As a result, the Coptic Christmas advances a day each time the Gregorian calendar drops a leap day (years AD 1700, 1800, and 1900).

This is the reason why Old-Calendrists (using the Julian and Coptic calendars) presently celebrate Christmas on 7 January, 13 days after the New-Calendrists (using the Gregorian calendar), who celebrate Christmas on 25 December.

Starting AD 2100, the Coptic Christmas should be celebrated on January 8th according to the Gregorian calendar, if no harmonized Christians celebrations are put in place.

Click here to know more about the

COPTIC CALENDAR 

On the trail of the Holy Family in Egypt

An historic account of cities and places the Virgin Mary, Joseph and newly born Jesus found safety and shelter in Egypt.

"Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the King, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.''  (Matthew 2:1-2)

FLIGHT OF THE HOLY FAMILY

The Hebrew Bible says that the city of Bethlehem was built up as a fortified city by Rehoboam, identifies it as the city David came from and where he was crowned as the king of Israel.

MEALAKAA CHURCH (old Cairo)

The New Testament identifies Bethlehem as the birthplace of Jesus. Bethlehem was destroyed by the Emperor Hadrian during the second-century Bar Kokhba revolt; its rebuilding was promoted by Empress Helena, mother of Constantine the Great, who commissioned the building of its great Church of the Nativity in 327 CE.

Historians and authors around the world have, long recorded the story of the holy family’s journey from Palestine to Egypt, with dedication. Many look upon the journey as a mark in the history of Egypt, not merely a religious event. Egyptians look with fondness and pride on the passage of the holy mother and her child through the land of Egypt, and the fact that they found solace here.

“Out of Egypt have I called my son” (Hosea 11:1)

“Blessed be Egypt. My People” (Isaiah 19:25)

The flight to Egypt

The Virgin Mary gave birth to Jesus in Bethlehem of Judea in Palestine. Upon his birth, wise men preached to the people of the city, declaring that Jesus was the chosen one, and that, "according to prophecies" they had seen in the stars, he would become the next king of the Jews.

Upon hearing the news, King Herod was overcome by terror at the possibility of losing his throne. He decided that killing Jesus was the only way to protect his royal status.

MONASTERY IN UPPER EGYPT

In a dream, Joseph, the carpenter, was ordered by God to escort Jesus and his mother to Egypt, where they would find refuge. Both Western and Eastern traditions agree that the method of transport most likely used by the holy family on their journey to Egypt would have been a donkey ride. In this situation, the Virgin Mary would have been seated on the donkey, holding the child Jesus in her arms and Joseph would have walked by their side, leading the way.

The distance from Jerusalem to Cairo by land is around 500km, with villages and stops requiring some 50 Km between rests, the route itself was well known since the Pharaohs, and frequented by the Syrian traders.

ROUTE USED BY THE HOLY FAMILY IN EGYPT

Werner Keller writes in his book, The Bible as History (1955): “A day's journey from Gaza brought the holy family to the ancient township of Jenysos, which is mentioned by Herodotus, the Greek historian.” Today, this village, which is part of the Gaza Strip, is known as Khan Younis  (Caravansary of Jonah). “The next town on the holy family's route would have been Raphia (Rafah). Rafah has a history stretching back thousands of years. It was first recorded in an inscription of Egyptian Pharaoh Seti I, from 1303 BCE as Rph, and as the first stop on Pharaoh Shoshenq I's campaign to the Levant in 925 BC. In 720 BCE it was the site of the Assyrian king Sargon II's victory over the Egyptians, and in 217 BC the Battle of Raphia was fought between the victorious Ptolemy IV and Antiochus III. (It is said to be one of the largest battles ever fought in the Levant, with over a hundred thousand soldiers and hundreds of elephants, the frontier town between the Gaza Strip and the province of Egypt."

SAKHA

Continuing for another 44 kilometers, beyond Raphia, and after almost two days of traveling, Joseph, the mother and child reach Wadi Al-Arish, a point at which they are safe enough to obtain food and shelter. The holy family passes by other towns in Sinai such as Al-Muhammadia and Al-Farma, located 35 kilometres east of El-Qantara City in Arabic al qantara means "the bridge". Churches from the 5th and 6th century have recently been discovered in Al-Farma.

Route to the Nile Delta

The holy family continued on its trip to the Nile Delta, stopping at the city of Musturod, only 10 kilometres from Cairo. "The Virgin Lady", a 12th century church, was found in the city of Bilbeis (Egyptian Arabic: بلبيس‎‎ , Coptic: Phelbs) an ancient fortress city on the eastern edge of the southern Nile delta in Egypt, the site of the Ancient city and former bishopric of Phelbes and a Latin Catholic titular see...

The Holy Family travel west through what is now known as the valley of Natroun (Wady Natroun - a valley containing Natron salt - famous by Natroun Macarius).

BISHOY MONASTRY IN NATROUN DESERT

“Natroun Macarius was born about the year 300 in Alexandria. He became a merchant until the age of 40 when he was baptized. He then left Alexandria and went to live in the desert. After several years of ascetic life he was ordained a presbyter and appointed prior of a monastery known as the “Kellii,” or “cells” in the Egyptian desert, between the Nitra mountains as a skete in which monastic hermits lived in silence, each in his own cell.  He retired to live alone as a recluse in el-Natroun desert at about the year 345. Many miracles were ascribed to him.”


Later the Holy family crossed the western branch of the Nile (the Rasheed branch) to “Miniet Samanoud” According to local belief the large granite trough in the city was used by the Virgin Mary for kneading dough.

A temple dedicated to the local god Onuris, or Onuris-Shu, and his lioness goddess mate Mehit, once existed at this location but are now reduced to ruins. A fragment to where kings would have made offerings to Onuris and his wife is on display at the Walters Art Museum (Baltimore MD). The site is part of the route of the Holy Family during their time in Egypt.

TREE OF THE VIRGIN MARY

The movie Journey of the Holy Family portrays the settlement of the blessed family in Al-Mataraya district near Ein Shams (Old Heliopolis) a district, which had a notable history during Egypt's Pharaonic period as a part of ancient Heliopolis. The district has archaeological sites of the period, some only recently discovered, beneath its current structures. 
In ancient Roman times, Heliopolis belonged to the Augustamnica province. Legend tells of the Christian Holy Family sheltering under a tree in Heliopolis, presently known as 'the tree of the Virgin Mary' or Mariam’s Tree," now with the Chapel which has evolved into an engrossing attraction for religious tourists. The holy "Mayron oil," or the "Chrism," is nowadays prepared from the oil of the tree.

A church named "The Virgin Mary" was built in the area and is visited frequently by worshipers to this day. A statue of Jesus and his blessed mother guarded by Joseph the Carpenter and Paintings can be found inside the church, a maps of the holy family’s journey (as above), is also on display.

In his book The Geography of Coptic Egypt (1989), French historian Amelenio narrates some of the stories passed down by generations about the miracles of "Mariam’s Tree."

COPTIC ICON OF VIRGIN MARY

One such story tells how “the French army soldiers sat by the tree, drank from its well and wrote their names on its stems.” It is believed that its oil healed some of the wounded soldiers. Amelenio adds: “Al-Matarya district became the most popular Christian shrine in Egypt; a place where people flooded to for blessings and spiritual remedies.”

The second district visited by the holy family in Cairo was Al-Zeitun, where a church by the name "The Virgin Mary" was constructed in Toman Bey Street. It is said that appearances of the blessed lady were witnessed around the domes of the church up until recent years.

Another spot visited by the holy family was Bab Zowela, Been El-Soreen Street in El-Gamaleya district. An ancient church is found there with the same name, "The Virgin Mary". It is considered one of the largest churches in Egypt and is distinguished by its basaltic style.

SAINT SARGUS CHURCH

The holy family moved on to "Old Cairo" (Al-Fustaat) where they dwelled for a short time in a cave later known as Abi Serja’s Church, within the walls of the Roman Babylon fortress. “The cave is about 20 feet tall, 15 feet wide and does not have any windows,” as described by Amelenio, who believes the holy family's stay in the cave did not exceed a week. After leaving Al-Fustaat, they moved to Maadi and settled at the location where the Virgin Mary Monastery and church were later built by the Nile.

“Al-Ma'adi” literally means "the ferries". There was a story that the name comes from a ferry crossing in the area where ferries carried people from the east side of the Nile to the west district today's Maadi stands on the site of a town that has turned out to be a significant predynastic, Ancient Egyptian archaeological site, founded in 3500 B.C. Modern building activity in the area has destroyed some archaeologically sensitive places.

OLD PICTURE OF MAADI MONASTERY

Amelenio explains that during Ottoman rule in Egypt, the church had a marina for boats allocated for the transport of people and soldiers traveling to and from Egypt. The holy family sailed to some villages in Upper Egypt such as Maghagha located on the west bank of the Nile. It is the most northern city in the Minya Governorate. (deir Garnous), then  to “Bahnassa” west of bani Mazar near Minya. Crossing the Nile to the Western bank to Malawy and “Meira” and the mount Qussqm that has the famous Monastry of Al-Muharrak built in tribute to the passage of the Holy Family.

The Deir Al-Muharrak complex is located on the Nile just south of Cusae, in Asyut Governorate in Upper Egypt. It is 375 km south of Greater Cairo. The monastery is unusual because it is one of the very few Coptic ones in Egypt not located into the desert.

 AL-MOHARRAK MONASTERY ASYOUT

The Church of Al-Adhra (Church of the Virgin) at the monastery was built over an ancient cave. It is claimed that Mary and Jesus spent six months and ten days here on their flight into Egypt from King Herod. The altar stone in the church is dated 747 CE.

PROCESSION FOR THE VIRGIN MARY
IN DRONKA MONASTRY (ASSIUT)

In the book “History of the Coptic Nation”, author Samy Saleh records that once Herod has died, an angel tells Joseph to return to Bethlehem, but to avoid Herod's son, Joseph takes his wife and the child to Nazareth in Galilee and settles there taking the same route on their journey back to Palestine.

They first go to Maadi, passing through Old Egypt, then follow the road to Ein Shams "Eye of the Sun" in Arabic, referring to the fact that Ain Shams is built on top of the ancient city of Heliopolis, once the spiritual centre of ancient Egyptian sun-worship. The trip takes the holy family back to the city of Mustorod, and finally to El-Arish, then to Gaza. The known history of Gaza spans 4,000 years. Gaza was ruled, destroyed and repopulated by various dynasties, empires, and peoples. Originally a Canaanite settlement, it came under the control of the ancient Egyptians for roughly 350 years before being conquered and becoming one of the Philistines' principal cities.

ABU SERGA CHURCH (OLD CAIRO)

This city served as Egypt’s administrative capital in Canaan, and was the residence of the Egyptian governor of the region. A caravan point of strategic importance from the earliest times, it was constantly involved in the wars between Egypt and Syria and the Mesopotamian powers.

At present, many Egyptian historians and archeologists are calling for a project to track each town or city visited by the holy family, so as to make it easier for tourists to visit the blessed spots, thus reviving the symbolism of the holy journey and its message of peace and goodwill to all men.

Egyptians are not Arabs

DNA analysis proves that Egyptians are not Arabs

After over 10 years of analyzing DNA samples from hundreds of people, the National Geographic Genographic Project (NGGP) surprisingly uncovered the fact that Egyptians are not Arabs as most of them believed.

Egyptian Girls

The study presented graphs that show the global genetic makeup of nationals in each country. These help answer people's questions about ethnicity, race, and the overall origins of the human population.

As the graph below shows, only 17 percent of Egyptians are Arabs " )Arab invasion by "Amr Ebn El-As" 642AD), while 68 percent of the indigenous population is from North Africa, four percent are from Jewish (Philistine) ancestry, three percent are of East African origins, another three percent from Asia Minor and three percent are South European (Greek & Roman occupation).

 

The Egyptian population presented by genetic origin

Egyptian Nomad in desert 68% north African

"This reference population is based on native Egyptians. As ancient populations migrated from Africa, they passed first through northeast Africa, then to southwest Asia. The Northern Africa and Arabian components in Egypt are representative of that ancient migratory route, as well as later migrations from the Fertile Crescent (Palestine/ Syria) back into Africa; with the spread of agriculture over the past 10,000 years, and migrations in the seventh century, with the spread of Islam from the Arabian Peninsula," the NGGP study said.

The East African component in the Egyptian genes reflects the localized movement up the navigable Nile River, according to the NGGP; while the Southern Europe and Asia Minor components reflect the geographic and historical role of Egypt as a key player in the economic and cultural growth of the Mediterranean region.

The DNA samples proved that Kuwaitis are mostly Arabs, as their genetic makeup is as follows: 84 percent of Kuwaitis are Arabs, seven percent are from Asia Minor, four percent are North African and three percent from East Africa.

Typical Egyptian Men

The NGGP said that as ancient migrants passed through the Middle East when moving from Africa to Asia, some of them decided to stay, developing their genetic patterns that were passed down to other generations. While there is small percentage from North and East Africa, maybe due to the Arab slave trade which was common from the 8th to the19th century.

Meanwhile the Lebanese society is the most diverse among Arab countries, as 44 percent are of Arab origins, 14 percent are Jewish, 11 percent are from North African descent, 10 percent are from Asia Minor, five percent are South European and only two percent are East African.

The Tunisian population had the lowest percentage from Arab descent, as only 4 percent are Arabs, while 88 percent are North African, five percent are from Western Europe, and two percent from West and Central Africa.  

 Original article by: Hend El-Behary