The Sacred Valleys of the Eastern Desert in Ancient Egypt. The Religious Thoughts of Ancient Egyptian Travelers

      Аннотация: The Eastern Desert, as barren as it may appear at the first glance, has been of outstanding economic significance to Ancient Egypt all through the ages. This work reveals that the Eastern Desert enjoyed a religious significance on the same scale of its socio-economic role. The routes penetrating the Eastern Desert to connect the Nile with the Red Sea, helped to bring vibrant life to the desolate desert; a life that is complete with its both material and spiritual aspects. The treasures of the Eastern Desert invited the Egyptian mining missions to extend their activities for longer periods and to get more frequent. Therefore, Egyptians needed, not only to bring along their accommodations to the Eastern Desert but also to practice their religious beliefs. In fact, the more the desert was exploited economically, it was tamed religiously. It seems that the desert invited both, Egyptian kings to overtake its riches and Egyptian deities to bless its land and inhabitants.

Ключевые слова: ancient Egypt, cults, EASTERN DESERT, Gods, New Kingdom, Shrines, Religious Thought, worshiping, Old Kingdom, Middle Kinfdom, Rock inscriptions