Research

Vicki Gaia's Research Page:

Egypt - The Land of Mystery

In November I had the wonderful opportunity to visit Egypt. It was on my 'bucket list' of must-see trips. People have asked - 'what was your favorite part of the journey?'. I experienced so much in such a short time that it's almost impossible to answer this question. Cruising down the Nile, standing in awe of the massive walls of hieroglyphics, amazed of the massive temple architecture, the Egyptian's rich and varied history, the gritty but rich street life...

There's a story somewhere buried in these experiences.

I finished the first, of what I hope to be several books in my 'Angel and Goddess' series. As you might have been reading on my site and newsletter, the first book focuses on Mikela, a high priestess dedicated to the Sumerian goddess, Inanna. For my next book in this series, I hope to set it in Egypt.

I was able to visit the Temple of Isis, located on an island in the Nile. Our group arrived before the sunrise. Once there, we watched the sun light up the sky, illuminating the temple in a reddish-gold hue. Absolutely stunning!

Originally the temple was built on Philae Island. With the building of the Aswan dam, and the rising of Lake Nasser, the island would be submerged. The temple was taken apart and reconstructed on a near by island of Agilka, now renamed Philae.

On the site there's the earliest structure build around 370 BCE, and later expanded by the Ptolemy Pharaohs and the Roman emperors, until it was converted to a Christian house of worship.

It's a beautiful, mysterious site. One of Egypt's principal goddesses, Isis is shown wearing a cow horned headdress symbolic of the moon, cradled by a disk, the sun. In her right hand she holds the ankh, in her left, a staff. The ankh is a symbol of immortality and the eternal dance of life and rebirth.

The floral motifs of the capitals are delicate despite being carved from stone.

I wasn't prepared for the sheer exuberance the Egyptians possessed for their art and writing. It was if the walls were pages of a book. Every inch of wall space was carved with pictorial images and hieroglyphics, unfolding as in a story book.

Happy Reading! Vicki