ABU SIMBEL
PIPE
ABU SIMBEL AND
ITS REDISCOVERY
The two Abu Simbel temples were built in Nubia in the
southern part of Egypt near the Sudanese border during the reign of the great
pharaoh Ramses II (1279 – 1213 B.C.) from approximately 1264 until 1244
B.C.
Carved into the rock of the hills near the Nile River
the twin temples were monuments to celebrate the successful battle of Kadesh and
as lasting memory to both Ramses II and his wife
Nefertari.
Over the centuries the temple complex became covered
by the desert sand and finally was forgotten.
It was only in 1813 that the Swiss explorer and
Orientalist Johann-Ludwig Burckhardt rediscovered the top part of the
larger temple. Legend tells that a local boy by the name of Abu Simbel
guided Mr. Burckhardt to the site. In the following years, the Italian
explorer Giovanni Belzoni explored the site and found the entrance to
the temple. The sketches and paintings of the site made by the famous Scottish
painter David Roberts during his voyages to Nubia in 1838/39 helped to
make the site known to Victorian society and contributed to the excitement and
the fashion for everything Egyptian.
When the Egyptian government started to build the
high dam in Aswan in 1960, the rising waters of the newly created Lake Nasser
threatened to destroy the Abu Simbel site. The UNESCO appealed to the world and
a multi-national rescue was started in 1964, successfully relocating the whole
site 200 metres back from the river and 65 metres up the mountains. By 1968, the
entire complex had been moved and the temples were saved.
An interesting astrophysical phenomenon appears twice
a year, on 22 October and 22 February, when the sun’s rays enter inside the
Great Temple and illuminate the sculptures at the back wall of the sanctuary
with the exception of the one of Ptah, the god of the Underworld. It is
testament to the ingenuity of the ancient Egyptian architects. |
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Today the Great Temple with the 4 statues of
Ramses II and the smaller temple, dedicated to Nerfertari, are
both open to the public and are among the most impressive architectural sites to
have survived antiquity.
THE LIMITED EDITION ABU
SIMBEL PIPE
The Abu Simbel pipe has been manufactured to
celebrate the 200th anniversary of the rediscovery of the Abu Simbel temples by
Johann-Ludwig Burckhardt in 1813.
Specially created for this edition, this exclusive
Group 4 Quaint shape in Shell Briar finish is inspired by the pillars of ancient
Egyptian temples and fitted with a Sterling Silver band engraved with the
inscription Abu Simbel 1813 – 2013 and Old Egyptian symbols.
The pipe tamper, a miniature of a pharaonic column,
is crafted from solid Sterling Silver and decorated with fine, very intricate
details; it is housed in an impressive leather presentation box and accompanied
by a book on Egyptian art and architecture and a limited edition
certificate.
The edition is strictly limited to 200 units
world-wide.
Launch June 2014. |
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FEATURES |
KEY
BENEFITS |
Subject ‘Abu Simbel’ |
To commemorate the bi-centenary of the Abu Simbel
rediscovery - One of the most famous temples in history - World-wide
fascination of the feat to move and save the temple complex in the
1960’s |
Special shape |
Unique shape specially made for this edition; not available as
standard shape - inspired by the columns of antique Egyptian
temples |
Finish |
- Shell Briar, the famous black sandblasted finish -
Invented by Alfred Dunhill in 1917 |
Mouthpieces |
Taper mouthpieces, individually cut, shaped, finished and
fitted from black Vulcanite rod. |
Size |
Gr.4 – medium to large size |
Precious metal bands |
- Sterling Silver = 92.5% pure silver - engraved with ABU
SIMBEL 1813 to 2013 |
Tamper |
- crafted from solid Sterling Silver - shape inspired by
historic Egyptian pillars - very intricate details on surface - height 74
mm - weight 32 grams |
Presentation case |
- Highly impressive and high-status gift presentation -
Leather covered wooden box - Relief embossed image depicting the main
temple |
Book |
“Egypt – Art & Architecture” by Matthias Seidel and Regine
Schulz |
Limited Edition |
Exclusive & very collectable - worldwide only
200 pieces in Shell Briar & Sterling
Silver |
Certificate |
Individually numbered and
signed. |
Copyright © 2014 by TECON GmbH mit
freundlicher Unterstützung von Alfred Dunhill LTD. London |