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RUINS

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Sacsayhuaman

Sacsayhuaman

This is the Incan city of Sacsayhuaman, just outside the town of Cuzco, Peru. These ruins reveal the Incan genius for stone work. Some of the rocks are immense, and yet fitted together in such a way that a sheet of paper could not be inserted into the seam between them.

Macchu Picchu

Macchu Picchu

This image does not really need an explanation. This is the famous Macchu Picchu, in the Peruvian Andes, as seen from the Inca trail approach.

Step-Pyramid, Saqqarah

Step-Pyramid, Saqqarah

This is the famous Pyramid of Djoser (or Zoser), built for the Pharoah Djoser by his vizier, Imhotep. It was built in the 27th Century B.C.E., during the rule of Egypt's 3rd Dynasty.

Sphinx

Sphinx

Does this photo need a description? This is the famous Great Sphinx at Giza, probably part of the temple complex of Khafra (who was buried in one of the three pyramids). The face on the Sphinx is thought to be that of the the Pharoah Khafra, though some Egyptologists dispute this.

Abu Simbel Entrance

Abu Simbel Entrance

This is the main entrance to the temple of Ramses II ("the Great") in Abu Simbel, built in the 13th century B.C.E. in the desert of upper Egypt. The four colossal statues (two on each side of the temple entrance) are images of the man himself. This is one of the major Egyptian temples that was dismantled and moved in the 1960s, to save it from inundation when the Aswan dam was built and Lake Nasser created. The temple was reconstructed in what is essentially an artificial mountain.

Abu Simbel Colossus

Abu Simbel Colossus

This is a closer view of one of the colossi. This and the previous images were taken with a Nikon FG in 1993. The negatives were later scanned.

Ramesseum

Ramesseum

The Ramesseum is the memorial temple for Ramses II ("The Great").

Great Hypostyle Hall at Karnak

Great Hypostyle Hall at Karnak

The great Hypostyle hall at the temple of Karnak in Luxor is so large that some of Europe's largest cathedrals could comfortably fit inside it. It contains massive pillars, each adorned with hieroglyphs. In ancient Egyptian times, these would have been painted, and some of the color is still visible in places. This photo was taken in 1993 with a Nikon FG.

Hatshepsut

Hatshepsut

Hatshepsut was one of only two female Pharaohs in Ancient Egypt, the other being Cleopatra. Other women sometimes ruled as regents for their young son, but Hatshepsut, after a period as regent, declared herself "king" in her own right. She ruled in the 15th Century B.C.E., and belonged to the 18th Dynasty. After her reign, her name was obliterated from the dynastic record. This is her temple, near the Valley of Kings in middle Egypt.

Colossus at Memnon

Colossus at Memnon

This is one of the two Colossi at Memnon, giant statues of Pharoah Amenhotep III. They were built in the 14th Century B.C.E.

Temple of the Inscriptions, Palenque

Temple of the Inscriptions, Palenque

Palenque is a Mayan city in the Mexican state of Chiapas. The so-called "Temple of the Inscriptions" is probably the most important structure at the site. It is the funerary monument and tomb of K'inich Janaab' Pakal, who ruled Palenque in the 7th Century. This photo was taken in 2001.

Palenque Palace

Palenque Palace

Another important building at Palenque, the "Palace" was used for bureaucratic functions, entertainment, and ceremonies.

Rock Engraving at Chichen Itza

Rock Engraving at Chichen Itza

Chichen Itza is another Mayan ruin, on the Yucatan Peninsula (not far from Cancun).

Teotihuacan

Teotihuacan

Teotihuacan is an ancient Meso-American cities (predating the Aztecs) and one of Mexico's most impressive archeological sites. It lies just north of Mexico City. This photo was taken from the top of the Pyramid of the Moon. The Pyramid of the Sun lies in the distance. This photo was taken in 2001 with a Nikon FG.

Tikal Jungle-scape

Tikal Jungle-scape

Tikal is a Mayan ruin in the north of Guatamala. This was the view that greeted us upon climbing to the top of one of Tikal's pyramid-temples. Another such temple can be seen protruding from the forest in the distance. This landscape may be recognizable to fans of Star Wars, as the site of the rebel base in the first Star Wars film (A New Hope). The tree in the foreground is Guatamala's national tree, the Ceiba. This photo was taken in 2001 with a Nikon FG.

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