EGYPTIAN VILLAGE MURALS

While visiting the Valley of the Kings in Egypt, there is a high probability that you will visit one of the nearby villages, which is a standard part of the "tour". The livelihood of the villagers depends on selling trinkets, souvenirs, sculptures and bric-a-brac to the tourists. We visited such a village and went on a tour of the alabaster "factory", where we were shown how the alabaster ware were made.

Needless to say that the alabaster vases are mass produced in a Cairo factory using modern equipment and they are then shipped to these local shops where they put on sale. The "workmen" in these village "factories" go through the motions of "making" these vases using traditional techniques.

I was more interested in the naive art murals that adorned these villages. As well as some copies of ancient Egyptian wall paintings, the majority of the murals depict folk art renditions of trips to Mecca. All Muslims who are capable of doing so must go on a pilgrimage to the Holy City of Mecca at least once in their life. It is beyond the means of most villagers and if one does succeed, it becomes a wonderful occurrence, which is commemorated in a series of murals on the home walls! So much for travel snaps...

This post is part of the Monday Mellow Yellows meme,
and also part of the Monday Murals meme,
and also part of the Blue Monday meme,
and also part of the Through my Lens meme.