Historical Effects and Siwan Traditional Architecture

Historical Effects and Siwan
Traditional Architecture
Mohamed Badry
M.A. in Heritage Conservation and Site Management
Founder of “HeritageForAll”
info.heritageforall@gmail.com

Siwa Gate & Built Vernacular Architecture
• The built vernacular heritage is a focus of contemporary life and at the same time a
record of the history of society. It is the fundamental expression of the culture of a
community, of its relationship with its territory and, at the same time, the expression of
the world's cultural diversity.
• Vernacular building is the traditional and natural way by which communities house
themselves. It is a continuing process including necessary changes and continuous
adaptation as a response to social and environmental constraints.
ICOMOS. (1999). Charter on The Built Vernacular Heritage, www.icomos.org/charters/vernacular_e.pdf.

Siwa & Geological Environment
Siwa is located in the Western Desert where to
be a huge basin, surrounded by high mountains
and inclined inwards, delimited in the north by
the Atlas chain that carries and flows inwards
the water resources and the cultural
influences of the coast board having a
Mediterranean climate.

In the depression, that in some points
reaches 60 meters below sea level, there
are many lakes fed by underground
springs, heavily salty as soil; it is called
Karsheef and it is used to make bricks
for buildings that strongly limit the
presence of cultivations.
Siwa & Geological Environment

A favorable position between the desert and the
Mediterranean and between East and West
makes Siwa an important crossroads in the
trans-desert trade routes, that link the Cyrene
and the Central Africa to the Nile valley.
• the salt exportation
• the exportation of the products of its fertile
lands
• the worship of the God Ammon
Siwa & Geographical Environment

• The 2nd c. B.C., in an inscription at Edfu, it was called (Pen-)’Ta’
• The 5th c. B.C. and during the Roman period, Amuneonion.
• In 897 A.D. an Arab historian, tells about the existence of a tribe called Suwa o Tsuwa
• Between the 11th and 12th c. A.D. Al-Idrisi calls it Santariyya.
• In the 14th c. A.D., Arab historians, Ibn Khaldun calls it Tsuwa again; in the 15th c. A.D., Al-
Maqrizi calls it Santariyya
• At the end of the 15th c. A.D., Siwa would become its common name.
Siwa & Historical Names

• Ancient Egyptian era
• the protection of the Valley from possible
incursions of the desert nomads.
• To supply the Valley with agricultural
products, otherwise not available in the
Nile valley.
• At the end of the Pre-dynastic period and
during the Old kingdom, Tehenu settled in
the west of the Nile Delta. The course of
their migration is in some cases through
the oases of Bahariya and Farafra, but
generally, started from Siwa oasis or from
the coast.
Siwa & Historical Effects

• Ancient Egyptian era
• the protection of the Valley from possible incursions
of the desert nomads.
• To supply the Valley with agricultural products,
otherwise not available in the Nile valley.
• At the end of the Pre-dynastic period and during the
Old kingdom, Tehenu settled in the west of the Nile
Delta. The course of their migration is in some cases
through the oases of Bahariya and Farafra, but
generally, started from Siwa oasis or from the coast.

• The migration of Tehenu during the
Sahure’s reign (5th Dynasty)
• The arrival of Temehu in northern Africa, a
light-skinned population probably coming
from Northern Europe
• Later, Temehu would move to the Nile
Delta looking for fertile soils.
• During the New Kingdom, Siwa was
considered a dangerous area, probably
because it was seen as a refuge by
criminals.

• The migration of Tehenu during the Sahure’s reign (5th Dynasty)
• The arrival of Temehu in northern Africa, a light-skinned
population probably coming from Northern Europe
• Later, Temehu would move to the Nile Delta looking for fertile
soils.
• During the New Kingdom, Siwa was considered a dangerous
area, probably because it was seen as a refuge by criminals.
Stonehenge, Stone Circle, England

• Under Amasis (The Saite Pharaoh-26th
dynasty), the big temple of Ammon was built in
Aghourmi. The temple was dedicated to a local
God Amun, having the features of a ram.

• The temple presents Egyptian and Greek architectural
characteristics. The building technique reveals the presence
of Greek workmen.
• The wall built in Greek style.
• The general plan of the temple is composed by two rooms
and the Sanctuary. It presents an Egyptian structure.
• The moldings are expression of the Egyptian culture.

• Then, the temple of Amun in Aghurmi becomes famous thanks to the presence of the oracle
consulted by the Greeks, that associate its cult to Zeus, the Libyans and the Egyptians.
• In the 5th c. B.C., Athens sends every year an official delegation to the temple of Amun.

• In 331 B.C. Alexander, after having founded the city of
Alexandria, visits the oracle temple of Amun in Siwa. His
visit brings fame to Siwa
• In 395 A.D., Egypt becomes a member of the Eastern
Empire: It passes from the Roman to the Byzantine control.
Contextually to the decay of the Oracle temple in Siwa that
between the 3rd and 6th c. A.D., the Christians are
transformed being orthodox.

• In 641, the Islamic period begins when Amr Ibn al-Aa’s conquers
Cairo.
• In the 10th century, the Fatimids come from Tunisia.
• Only in the 12th century, Siwa would be occupied.

• In order to face the constant problem of security, from the 13th c., some fortified villages are built on
high grounds, surrounded by walls, often with one access door, as in Aghurmi.
• Inside the walls, the streets are tortuous and narrow in order to prevent the incursions of horse-
mounted thieves and often covered to protect from the torrid heat of summer. The houses are built
exploiting their height, in order to lodge the maximum number of people.

• On Aghurmi hill a fortified village was built between the
12th and 13th c. A.C.
• The village was surrounded by high walls and had only
one access.
• Built by the local population of a Berber culture
• The building technique was a mix of clay mortar and
limestone, obtained through the crashing of the
extraction blocks of the temple of Amun and the
royal palace.
• The coverings were made, following the traditional
technique in palm tree logs.

• The 16th century, when the country falls into the hands of the Ottomans. Some areas of the country,
oases included, undergo a bad period from both the economic and political point of view; even if
they eluded the central government, they go through a decline and depopulation phase, even
remaining important crossroads along the trade routes.
• The main reason for depopulation is in the continuous incursions of Arabs and Berber
Bedouins
• In the 17th c., Siwa oasis remains isolated and independent, even recognizing the authority of the
Turkish sultan. The Manuscript of Siwa reports the continuous fights (a permanent civil war)
between the two factions of Siwa: oriental and occidental groups.

• At the beginning of the 19th century (Mohamed Ali Pasha), he entrusts the conquest of all the oases
of the western desert to Hasan Bey al-Shamashirgy.
• The activity of Mohamed Ali is not limited to a re-conquest and an administrative reorganization of
the country. He deals with the industrial and agricultural development. He promotes new cultivations
with the aim of introducing good quality and high-yield varieties.

• In 1841 Al-Sayyd Mohamed al-Sanusi, the founder of the Sanussis faith, visits Siwa. His zawiyah (a
center composed of a mosque, a school and residential quarters for travelers, the commanders and
for its families)
• In 1856, it became as same as an Islamic University, second to al- Azhar in Cairo regarding its
religious significance.
• In 1904 Khedive Abbas Helmi 2nd visits Siwa. He gives impulse to agriculture by ordering the re-
establishment of three springs for the irrigation of the lands laying the bases for the capitalistic
development of the oasis.

• By the 1st World War, Siwa is under the British protectorate.
• In 1915, Siwa became a defense point that the Sanussis allied with
Turks revolting against the Italo-English soldiers.
• In 1928 King Fu’ad reaches Siwa, during his visit he poses the first
stone of the hospital and the new government palace. Also, he gave
instructions for the completion of the mosque is given, the walls
around the springs are built, and the inhabitants are instructed
about the best agricultural techniques. Specialists sent by the
Ministry of Agriculture built a modern press for olive oil and a factory
for the package of dates.

• In 1945, King Faruq visited Siwa and the Siwans demand the arrangement of the road to Marsa
Matruh.
• In 1962, Siwa obtains its local rights.
• Under the government of President Gamal Abd al-Nasser, numerous development projects are
launched.
• From 1977, after continuous diplomatic tensions and hostilities between Egypt and Libya, the
border is closed and the oasis is militarized and fortified until the reopening in 1988.

Historical Effects and Siwan Traditional Architecture

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