El-Gabal el-Ahmar
Encyclopedia
El-Gabal el-Ahmar is located today within the boundaries of modern-day Cairo
, in the area of Nasr City
, (30.05 N, 31.3 E) . The name means "The Red Hill". The site was in full production in the times of Akhenaton, Amenhophis III, Tutankhamon and Ramses III. The quarry was directed by Huy also known as "Chief of the King's Works" and also by Hori.
The famous Colossi of Memnon
are made from blocks of quartzite sandstone
probably quarried at el-Gabal el-Ahmar.
Typical minerals known from this site:
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
, in the area of Nasr City
Nasr City
Nasr City is a district of Cairo, Egypt. It is located to the east of the Cairo Governorate and consists mostly of condominiums. It was established in the 1960s as an extension to neighboring suburb of Heliopolis. The establishment of the district was part of the Egyptian Government's plan to...
, (30.05 N, 31.3 E) . The name means "The Red Hill". The site was in full production in the times of Akhenaton, Amenhophis III, Tutankhamon and Ramses III. The quarry was directed by Huy also known as "Chief of the King's Works" and also by Hori.
The famous Colossi of Memnon
Colossi of Memnon
The Colossi of Memnon are two massive stone statues of Pharaoh Amenhotep III. For the past 3400 years they have stood in the Theban necropolis, across the River Nile from the modern city of Luxor.-Description:The twin statues depict Amenhotep III The Colossi of Memnon (known to locals as...
are made from blocks of quartzite sandstone
Quartzite
Quartzite is a hard metamorphic rock which was originally sandstone. Sandstone is converted into quartzite through heating and pressure usually related to tectonic compression within orogenic belts. Pure quartzite is usually white to gray, though quartzites often occur in various shades of pink...
probably quarried at el-Gabal el-Ahmar.
Typical minerals known from this site:
- Celestine, QuartziteQuartziteQuartzite is a hard metamorphic rock which was originally sandstone. Sandstone is converted into quartzite through heating and pressure usually related to tectonic compression within orogenic belts. Pure quartzite is usually white to gray, though quartzites often occur in various shades of pink...
or red sandstone.