THE ORIENTAL INSTITUTE The University of Chicago1155 East 58th StreetChicago, IL 60637-1540

BETWEEN HEAVEN & EARTH:Birds in Ancient Egypt TourMarch 6 – 24, 2014

Escorted by ROZENN BAILLEUL-LESUER

BETWEEN HEAVEN & EARTH: Birds in Ancient Egypt Tour

March 6 – 24, 2014Escorted by ROZENN BAILLEUL-LESUER

Left: Birds in an Acacia Tree, Nina de Garis Davies, 1932.Cover: Baskets of eggs beside a small flock of captured Dalmatian pelicans (Pelecanus crispus). Tomb of Horemheb, Thebes.

Rozenn Bailleul-LeSuer is a Ph.D. candidate inEgyptology at the University of Chicago, a life-longbirder, and, most recently, the curator of the specialexhibit Between Heaven & Earth: Birds in AncientEgypt at the Oriental Institute Museum. Afterstudying chemical engineering in France, as well asGreek and Latin in Vermont, she is now able tocombine her passion for birds and her academicinterest in Egypt. Her dissertation research tacklesthe economic impact of birds on Egyptian society, asthey were used as offerings for the gods and thedead, and food for the living.

Clap-Netting scene from the tomb of Nakht (ca. 1400–1390BC). Four fowlers are shown having caught in their net a widevariety of colorful waterfowl, for the most part ducks and coot(Fulica atra). From Nina Davies 1936, vol. 1 pl. 48.

THURSDAY, MARCH 6: Depart from Chicago.

FRIDAY, MARCH 7: CAIROWe arrive into Cairo and transfer to the MenaHouse Hotel, situated on the Giza plateau.This evening we will meet with RozennBailleul-LeSuer for dinner.MENA HOUSE HOTEL (D)

SATURDAY, MARCH 8: CAIROOur tour begins at Saqqara with visits to thenewly opened museum and the Step Pyramidcomplex of Djoser. Here we might sight apharaoh’s eagle owl. We will also tour thebird catacombs of North Saqqara, the smallerPyramid of Teti, the mastaba tombs of thenobles Ti and Ptahhotep, as well as the small,unfinished tomb of Neferherenptah, knownas the “Bird Tomb” for its agricultural and birdhunting scenes. After lunch, we will meetwith our birder for an afternoon of birding atLake Dahshur. Some of the common birds wemight spot today are the common kestrel,laughing dove, the unique Eurasian hoopoe,pallid swift, hooded crow and the daintywhite wagtail. We may also have the goodfortune to see many of the other migrants thatpass through this region.MENA HOUSE HOTEL (B/L)

SUNDAY, MARCH 9: CAIROThis morning we continue our birding at theAbbassa fish ponds in the Eastern Delta. Herea nice mix of water and bush country birdscan be seen, including Senegal thick-knees,little bittern, squacco heron, purpleswamphen, and clamorous reed-wabler,white-throated, pied kingfishers and alsopossibly jack snipe, crested lark, andbluethroat. Later we continue to Tanis, Zoanof the Bible, and capital of Egypt during the21st and 22nd Dynasties. Tanis served as the burial place of some of the dynasties’most important leaders. These pharaohsembellished their temples with decoratedstones and monumental sculptures brought

from the Delta. Today the site is an impressiveoutdoor museum.MENA HOUSE HOTEL (B/L)

MONDAY, MARCH 10: CAIROWe will spend the morning at the EgyptianMuseum and discover highlights of its hugecollection, including the “Geese of Meidum,”a fragment from the temple of Userkaf, thenew animal mummy room, and the objectsfrom the tomb of Tutankhamun. After lunch,touring continues to the only surviving

Dear Members and Friends of the OrientalInstitute,

Our latest special exhibit BetweenHeaven & Earth: Birds in Ancient Egypt,gave us an unprecedented glimpse at theimportance of these feathered denizensof the sky in the world of ancientEgyptians. I now want to invite you tojoin the exhibit guest curator, RozennBailleul-LeSuer, in exploring firsthand theimpact of birds on ancient Egyptianculture, while having the opportunity toadmire the real–life models that inspiredEgyptian craftsmen. Offered for the firsttime by the Oriental Institute, this tour toEgypt combines a unique historicaldiscovery of the country with anornithological flavor, which will makethis program a wonderful journey notonly for art–history aficionados andarchaeology buffs, but also for birdwatchers. The tour has been specificallytimed to coincide with the peak of springmigration, when the myriads of Palearcticbirds that winter in sub-Saharan Africareturn to their breeding grounds inEurope and Western Asia. In the breath-taking landscape of the Nile Valley,surrounded by the splendors of ancientEgypt, we will have exciting opportunitiesto observe these splendid species.

Rozenn Bailleul-LeSuer’s expertise inEgyptology, combined with her knowledgeand passion for Egyptian avifauna, willmotivate our guests to develop a deepappreciation for Egypt’s cultural andnatural heritage. She will be joined by aremarkable team of onsite experts andlocal birders to give you an experience ofa lifetime. Whether you have visited Egyptbefore or not, this tour will undoubtedlyprovide you with a new and fresh look onthe fascinating world of ancient Egypt.

Gil J. SteinDirector, Oriental Institute

representatives of the Seven Wonders of theAncient World, the Pyramids of Giza and theSphinx. Time permitting, we will stop at theremarkably preserved remains of the SolarBoat of Cheops housed in a small museum.MENA HOUSE HOTEL (B/L)

TUESDAY, MARCH 11: FAYYUM OASISAfter an early departure, we will first stop atthe important Greek and Roman site ofKaranis (Kom Washim), which housed twolimestone temples and a large agora. We thentransfer to 4x4 Jeeps for our touring aroundLake Qarun, the largest saltwater lake inEgypt. Touring continues at the Ptolemaictown of Soknopaiou Nesos (Dime es-Siba’).Ringed by a high mud-brick wall, it isreached by a processional way of stone lionsending at the remains of its large temple. Theremainder of the day will be spent birdingaround the Lake Qarun and Wadi El Rayan,where we are likely to see grebes, coots,ducks, and shorebirds.HELNAN HOTEL FAYOUM (B/L/D)

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 12: FAYYUM OASISToday’s touring to Medinet Madi(Narmouthis) will give us a chance to see asite famous for its temple built byAmenemhet III and IV in the late 12thDynasty. This well-preserved complex alsoexhibits two Late Ptolemaic temples, with anavenue of Greek and Egyptian-inspiredsphinxes and wonderful lion statues. We willthen head to Tebtunis (Umm el-Breigat), oneof the largest Graeco-Roman towns in theFayyum, where the first of innumerablepapyrus scrolls was found, enablingarchaeologists to begin to understand thelocal history during this period. Our last visittoday is to Hawara to see the remains of thePyramid of Amenemhat III and site of thelabyrinth thought to be his mortuary temple.HELNAN HOTEL FAYOUM (B/L/D)

THURSDAY, MARCH 13: MINYAAfter visiting the collapsed Pyramid ofMeidum, built by Snefru, possibly the earliesttrue pyramid, we drive to Minya. We willstop to visit Tuna el-Gebel, with tombs andcatacombs of sacred baboons and ibisesdating to the Graeco-Roman period, as wellas Akhenaten’s Amarna boundary stelae. Theday ends at Hermopolis (Ashmounein),whose patron deity was Thoth, the god ofwisdom.HORUS HOTEL (B/L/D)

FRIDAY, MARCH 14: SOHAGTouring begins at the Middle Kingdom rock-cuttombs of Beni Hassan, with their livelypaintings of daily life. Here the offering chapelsof Baqet III, Khety, and Khnumhotep IIinclude stunning bird representations

including the famous “Birds in an AcaciaTree.” We then continue to the small town ofSohag. EL NILE HOTEL (B/L/D)

SATURDAY, MARCH 15: LUXORAn early departure will allow us to reachLuxor in time for lunch at our hotel. Ourdrive will be along canals and fields, wherethe sharp-eyed among us might spot some ofthe area’s birds, in particular the numerouscattle egrets feeding alongside the Egyptiansworking in their fields. We will then spendthe afternoon touring the magnificentsanctuary of Amun-Re at Karnak, with itsmaze of monumental gateways, obelisks,pillared halls, and subsidiary shrines. STEIGENBERGER HOTEL (B/L)

SUNDAY, MARCH 16: LUXORThis morning our birder will join us toexplore the extensive fields on CrocodileIsland. Here we are likely to see strikinglybright green bee-eaters, pallid swift, masked

shrike, brown-necked raven, graceful prinia,and the beautiful Nile Valley sunbird. At thistime of the year there will be flocks ofmigrating western yellow and white wagtails,and trumpeter finches. This afternoon wewill visit Chicago House, the home of theOriental Institute Epigraphic Survey project,and Luxor Temple. Beginning at the newlyrenovated Avenue of the Sphinxes, whichoriginally linked Luxor and Karnak temples,we examine the Roman fresco paintingsrestored jointly by Chicago House and theAmerican Research Center in Egypt, as wellas the open-air museum and blockyardconserved by Chicago House.STEIGENBERGER HOTEL (B/L)

MONDAY, MARCH 17: LUXOR/CRUISEThis morning we will cross the Nile to thewest bank to continue our touring at thetemple and chapels of Medinet Habu and themost famous of the hundreds of tombs of theKings, Queens, and Nobles, spread over twosquare miles. These tombs are of specialinterest for their artistic and naturalisticmurals, which give us an intimate view of lifein ancient Egypt. We will choose some of thetombs with the best bird representations intheir chapels. We will also visit theRamesseum, where the fallen statue ofRamesses II inspired Shelley’s famous poem“Ozymandias.” Our lunch will be on boardthe deluxe Farah Nile Cruiser, our floatinghotel for the next four nights. FARAH NILE CRUISER (B/L/D)

TUESDAY, MARCH 18: SAIL/EDFUThis morning will be spent at leisure toexplore the local suqs or the town. Duringlunch on the Farah, we sail to Edfu to dockfor the night. FARAH NILE CRUISER (B/L/D)

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 19: SAIL/KOM OMBOTouring begins this morning at the Temple ofEdfu, a completely preserved Ptolemaic

THE TOUR RATE INCLUDES:n Internal flights within Egypt. Surface travel by air-conditioned motor coach and

cruise ship as detailed in the itinerary.n Accommodations are based on two persons sharing a twin-bedded room with

private bath as listed or similar.n Meals as listed in the detailed itinerary, table d’hôte.

B – Breakfast L – Lunch D – Dinnern Baggage handling for one suitcase per person.n Arrival and departure transfers on tour dates only.n Gratuities to tour manager, escorts, guides, birders, drivers and porters.n A $600 contribution to The Oriental Institute.NOT INCLUDED IN THE TOUR COST: International airfare, passport and visa fees,excess baggage charges, transfers for tour participants arriving or departing onflights other than the group flights, insurance, beverages and items not on themenus.TARIFFS: Based on rates in effect April 2013 and a minimum of 21 participants. Forgroups falling below 21 participants, a small groups surcharge of $350 will beadded. All rates subject to change.DEPOSITS & PAYMENTS: A $1200 deposit is required to book. Final payment is duetwenty weeks before departure.SINGLE ROOMS: For those traveling alone but who prefer to share with another, wewill endeavor to work out congenial rooming arrangements. If impossible, or if asingle room must be assigned due to the roommate’s canceling or incompatibility,or for any other reason, even if at the last moment or while on tour, the singlesupplement or prorate thereof must be collected.INSURANCE: Insurance is available and is recommended. By purchasing tripcancellation insurance within 21 days of your initial deposit, Travelers InsuredInternational, Inc. will waive the usual exclusion for preexisting medical conditions.CANCELLATIONS: In the event of cancellation, refund in full less a $350 handling feewill be made until twenty weeks before departure. From twenty to twelve weeksbefore departure, the penalty is $2500. From twelve weeks until eight weeks beforedeparture, the penalty is $5900, and after that time the penalty is $7100 plus anypenalties levied by hotels and operators. Penalties are also levied on the singlesupplement. These penalties could reach 100% for last-minute cancellations. Therewill be no refund for cancellations on the day of departure or thereafter.Cancellation of the tour by the Oriental Institute: full refund. Note: Neither theOriental Institute nor Archaeological Tours accepts liability for any airlinepenalties incurred by the purchase of nonrefundable airline tickets.

RESPONSIBILITY: ARCHAEOLOGICAL TOURS, a division of LINDSTONE TRAVEL, INC., and THEORIENTAL INSTITUTE in accepting bookings for the tour, clearly stipulates that it is not liable forthe faults or defaults of other companies and persons that may be used in the carrying out of thetour services; also for accidents, baggage losses, delays, strikes, political unrest, riots, and acts ofGod and war. In the event it becomes necessary or advisable for the comfort or well-being of thepassengers, or for any reason whatsoever, to alter the itinerary or arrangements, such alterationsmay be made without penalty to the operator. Additional expenses, if any, shall be borne by thepassengers. The right is also reserved to withdraw this tour; also to decline to accept or retain anypersons as members of the tour. No refund can be made for absence from the tour unlessarrangements are made at the time of booking. IATA carriers concerned are not to be heldresponsible for acts, omissions or events during the time passengers are not on board. Thepassage contract in use by the companies concerned shall constitute the sole contract between thecompany and purchaser of these tours and/or passengers.

For additional information, please

contact

the Oriental Institute Membership Office

(773-834-9777)

oi-membership@uchicago.edu

or

Archaeological Tours

271 Madison Avenue, Suite 904

New York, NY 10016

(Toll free) 1-866-740-5130

archtours@aol.com.

COST OF TOUR: $8145(excludes international airfare)

Single Supplement: $1320

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temple dedicated to the falcon god Horus. Species of eagles, littleowls, breeding kestrels and barn owls have been seen in and aroundthe temple. We will have several hours to enjoy the sundeck and poolas well as the ever-changing panorama of life along the Nile as we sailup the river. In the late afternoon, we arrive at Kom Ombo, oftencalled the Acropolis of Egypt for its spectacular site overlooking theNile. It is also unusual in being equally dedicated to two gods, Horusthe Elder and the crocodile god Sobek. We will dock in front of theilluminated temple for the night or possibly sail on to Aswan.FARAH NILE CRUISER (B/L/D)

THURSDAY, MARCH 20: ASWAN/CRUISEWe sail on to Aswan to tour the quarry, where an unfinished obeliskremains embedded in its native stone, the High Dam and Philae, thePtolemaic temple dedicated to Isis, an incredible complex of chapelsand shrines as well as the last bastion of paganism in the ByzantineEmpire. This afternoon we will go birding by felucca aroundKitchener's Island and the First Cataract.FARAH NILE CRUISER (B/L/D)

FRIDAY, MARCH 21: ASWANWe will disembark and spend the morning birding at Tut Amunvillage fish ponds, where we will spot water birds and possibly theelusive three-banded plover. In the afternoon we will visit theMuseum of Nubian Civilization.ASWAN MÖVENPICK HOTEL (B/L)

SATURDAY, MARCH 22: ABU SIMBELA memorable day! We fly to Abu Simbel, where the rock-cut templesof Ramesses II and his favorite queen, Nefertari, have been savedfrom the rising waters of the Nile resulting from the Aswan HighDam. The temples were built to honor the deified royal pair and toawe the Nubians. The afternoon will be spent birding around thelake. This area is known for its excellent birding. We hope to see awonderful variety of species including the Egyptian goose, greaterflamingo, great white pelican, Eurasian spoonbill, osprey, spur-winged plover, marsh and wood sandpipers, black-tailed godwit,common crane, slender-billed gull, and many more. One birdereven reported a rare sighting of a mourning collared-dove. SETI FIRST HOTEL (B/L/D)

SUNDAY, MONDAY, MARCH 23 & 24: CAIROThere will be some time for some last-minute birding to enjoy theEgyptian avifauna before we fly back to Cairo. On Monday we willtransfer to the airport for our flights home.RADISSON BLU AIRPORT.

White breasted kingfisher in Giza.