“The Wall of Crows” (Heit el-Ghurab)

WHY THE CROW IS BIGGER THAN THE PYRAMIDS

Today, "The Wall of the Crow” or “The Wall of Crows” (Heit el-Ghurab) stands forgotten, unnoticed by the impressive monuments on the Giza Plateau. “Wall of Crows" is rarely mentioned in literature and tourists rarely get a glimpse of it. The site on which it sits was active as far back as Neolithic times.  Long before the Great Pyramids or the Sphinx, this area was built as a gateway to the afterlife. The Wall of Crows is 656 feet long, 32.8 feet high, and 39 feet thick at the base. In the center is the gate, with a massive lintel stone believed to weigh 300 tons. It is the largest single stone in the Giza complex. Under the massive stone was a tunnel large enough to drive an SUV through.

the Wall of the Crow has the largest stone block on the entire Giza Plateau 

The gateway was clearly important to the ancients, but its original meaning has been lost. Ancient Egyptians usually didn't make such massive walls and colossal gates without there being a reason for it. Recent archeology has suggested the may have been a barrier between the living and the dead. It is believed to have been the original entrance to the Giza Plateau and the dividing line between the sacred precincts of Giza and the surrounding area, the workmen's community at Giza. It has been estimated that about 18,000 people actually lived on the site.   In more recent times it has served as a Muslim cemetery.

Wall of Crows outlined in red  

The Wall of the Crow itself is an intriguing structure, somewhat enigmatic, and more than two football fields in length. If it were anywhere else it would be a very important site. Unfortunately for the Wall of Crows, its neighbors are even more impressive.  However, Crows have very good memories!!

In ancient times all ravens, crows and blackbirds were called "crows".

In Egypt vultures and crows were important to transport spirits to the afterlife. Crows represented faithful love, as people of the ancient world observed, they are monogamous. Horapollo wrote that when the Egyptians wished to show the union between Aries, god of war, and Aphrodite, goddess of love, they drew images of crows. One of the oldest monumental structures on the Giza Plateau is the Wall of the Crow.

My Narrative:

Crow still chuckles when he looks at the Pyramids.

4500 years ago the Pyramids and the Great Sphinx were built
and Crow began gloating. 
He loved to remind the New Sphinx that  the Wall of Crows was older
He loved to belittle the New Pyramids by  flaunting his wall’s massive stone.

In my print, I had to tweak the position of the Great Pyramid and the Sphinx. I also gave the Sphinx a facelift so that he looked young again. I love ancient art and history, so this was a fun print to work on.  

THE WALL OF THE CROW - etching, 5-inch x 7-inch 2011

 

CROW BELITTLES THE SPHINX AND THE PYRAMIDS, Etching 5-inch x 7-inch 2023.