James Henry Breasted Collection (#2)

View from the summit of the Great Pyramid, Giza, Egypt, 1905. Artist: Underwood & Underwood
View from the summit of the Great Pyramid, Giza, Egypt, 1905. Looking east across the Nile valley. Stereoscopic card. Detail

The Second Pyramid, showing part of the original covering, Egypt, 1905. yramid, Egypt, c1900
The Second Pyramid, showing part of the original covering, Egypt, 1905. The second pyramid of Giza as seen from the summit of the Great Pyramid. Stereoscopic card. Detail

Looking up the northeast corner of the Great Pyramid, Egypt, 1905. Artist: Underwood & Underwood
Looking up the northeast corner of the Great Pyramid, Egypt, 1905. Stereoscopic card. Detail. From a series called Egypt Through the Stereoscope, text by James H Breasted

King Khufus tomb, the Great Phyramid of Giza, Egypt, 1905. Artist: Underwood & Underwood
King Khufus tomb, the Great Phyramid of Giza, Egypt, 1905. Stereoscopic card. Detail. From a series called Egypt Through the Stereoscope, text by James H Breasted

The Great Pyramid of Giza, Egypt, 1905. Artist: Underwood & Underwood
The Great Pyramid of Giza, Egypt, 1905. Stereoscopic card. From a series called Egypt Through the Stereoscope, text by James H Breasted

The road to the pyramids, Giza, Egypt, 1905. Artist: Underwood & Underwood
The road to the pyramids, Giza, Egypt, 1905. The road westwards, from Cairo. Stereoscopic card. Detail. From a series called Egypt Through the Stereoscope, text by James H Breasted

The great Nile bridge, Cairo, Egypt, 1905. Artist: Underwood & Underwood
The great Nile bridge, Cairo, Egypt, 1905. Stereoscopic card. Detail. From a series called Egypt Through the Stereoscope, text by James H Breasted

The Stela of Amenophis III, Cairo Museum, Egypt, 1905. Artist: Underwood & Underwood
The Stela of Amenophis III, Cairo Museum, Egypt, 1905. This enormous stela, hewn out of black granite, is ten feet three inches high, five feet four inches wide, and thirteen inches thick

The magnificent jewellery of Queen Ahhotep (c1560BC-1530BC), Cairo Museum, Egypt, 1905. Artist: Underwood & Underwood
The magnificent jewellery of Queen Ahhotep (c1560BC-1530BC), Cairo Museum, Egypt, 1905. These luxurious adornments were found with the body of Queen Ahhotep at Thebes in 1860

The mummy of Sethos I (1394BC-1279BC), Cairo, Egypt, 1905. Artist: Underwood & Underwood
The mummy of Sethos I (1394BC-1279BC), Cairo, Egypt, 1905. Stereoscopic card. Detail. From a series called Egypt Through the Stereoscope, text by James H Breasted

Diorite statue of King Khafre, builder of the second Pyramid of Gizeh, Cairo, Egypt, 1905. This statue is in the National Museum of Egypt. Stereoscopic card. Detail

The harem windows in the court of a wealthy Cairenes house, Cairo, Egypt, 1905. Artist: Underwood & Underwood
The harem-windows in the court of a wealthy Cairenes house, Cairo, Egypt, 1905. The ground floor, the carved doorway to which you see here on the right behind the tree

The tomb of the Mahdi at Omdurman, Sudan, 1905. Artist: Underwood & Underwood
The tomb of the Mahdi at Omdurman, Sudan, 1905. The tomb [before us is] a low, roofless building with arched windows, surrounded by a court with an arched door on the right

The second cataract of the Nile as seen from the southwest, Egypt, 1905. Artist: Underwood & Underwood
The second cataract of the Nile as seen from the southwest, Egypt, 1905. Stereoscopic card. Detail. From a series called Egypt Through the Stereoscope, text by James H Breasted

Interior of the rock-hewn temple of Abu Simbel, Egypt, 1905. Artist: Underwood & Underwood
Interior of the rock-hewn temple of Abu Simbel, Egypt, 1905. Stereoscopic card. Detail. From a series called Egypt Through the Stereoscope, text by James H Breasted

Looking down on the river past the front of Abu Simbel temple, Egypt, 1905. Artist: Underwood & Underwood
Looking down on the river past the front of Abu Simbel temple, Egypt, 1905. [The temple] was wrought by Ramses II, the author of the most colossal works in Egypt

The ruins of Baalbek (Balabakk), Syria, 1900. Artist: Underwood & Underwood
The ruins of Baalbek (Balabakk), Syria, 1900. Stereoscopic card. Detail

The grotto temple of Abu Simbel, seen from the Nile, Egypt, 1905. Artist: Underwood & Underwood
The grotto temple of Abu Simbel, seen from the Nile, Egypt, 1905. [The temple] was wrought by Ramses II, the author of the most colossal works in Egypt

Kasr (Qasr) Ibrim and a view down the Nile in Nubia, Egypt, 1905. Artist: Underwood & Underwood
Kasr (Qasr) Ibrim and a view down the Nile in Nubia, Egypt, 1905. Stereoscopic card. Detail. From a series called Egypt Through the Stereoscope, text by James H Breasted

The Nubian temple of Kalabsheh, Egypt, 1905. Artist: Underwood & Underwood
The Nubian temple of Kalabsheh, Egypt, 1905. As Egyptian civilisation gradually spread in the country, the Pharaohs built temples here after the Egyptian style; it is incredible how a country of such

The Aswan dam as seen from the Philae temple, Egypt, 1905. Artist: Underwood & Underwood
The Aswan dam as seen from the Philae temple, Egypt, 1905. Stereoscopic card. Detail. From a series called Egypt Through the Stereoscope, text by James H Breasted

The island of Philae, Egypt, 1905. Artist: Underwood & Underwood
The island of Philae, Egypt, 1905. Stereoscopic card. Detail. From a series called Egypt Through the Stereoscope, text by James H Breasted

Ninety-two foot obelisk still lying in the quarry of Assuan (Aswan), Egypt, 1905. Artist: Underwood & Underwood
Ninety-two foot obelisk still lying in the quarry of Assuan (Aswan), Egypt, 1905. These granite quarries where the Egyptians found stone suitable for their buildings lie on the east bank of the Nile

Tomb of Harkhuf, a frontier baron in the days of the pyramid builders, Assuan (Aswan), Egypt, 1905. Stereoscopic card. Detail

The pylon and court of the temple of Horus at Edfu, Egypt, 1900. Artist: Underwood & Underwood
The pylon and court of the temple of Horus at Edfu, Egypt, 1900....this present building was begun by Ptolemy III in 237 BC. and completed as it in now in 57 BC. It is constructed of sandstone

Scenes of battle and the chase carved on a wall at Medinet Habu, Thebes, Egypt, 1905. Artist: Underwood & Underwood
Scenes of battle and the chase carved on a wall at Medinet Habu, Thebes, Egypt, 1905. At the top of the wall in hieroglyphics over two feet high

Walled city of El Kab, seen from a door of a tomb in the cliffs, Egypt, 1905. Artist: Underwood & Underwood
Walled city of El Kab, seen from a door of a tomb in the cliffs, Egypt, 1905. That sombre grey wall, beginning on the left and extending as far as the eye can follow on the right

View from the Ramesseum southeast over the plain of Thebes, Egypt, 1905. Artist: Underwood & Underwood
View from the Ramesseum southeast over the plain of Thebes, Egypt, 1905. The Pharaohs of the New Kingdom no longer built pyramids, but hewed out vast tombs in a valley behind yonder cliff, and here

The Ramesseum, the temple of Ramses II, at Thebes, Egypt, 1905. Artist: Underwood & Underwood
The Ramesseum, the temple of Ramses II, at Thebes, Egypt, 1905. The Pharaohs of the New Kingdom no longer built pyramids, but hewed out vast tombs in a valley behind yonder cliff, and here

Dahabiyehs on the river ready for a Nile voyage, Egypt, 1905. Artist: Underwood & Underwood
Dahabiyehs on the river ready for a Nile voyage, Egypt, 1905. A dahabiyeh is a long, narrow sailboat divided approximately into halves; the forward half is devoted to the crew and the ccok

Watching a sand whirlwind from the top of Hawara pyramid, Egypt, 1905. Artist: Underwood & Underwood
Watching a sand whirlwind from the top of Hawara pyramid, Egypt, 1905. What a picture of desolation! And yet we are standing in the midst of one of the most fertile tracts in the world

The brick store chambers of Pithom, built by Hebrew bondsmen, Egypt, 1905. Artist: Underwood & Underwood
The brick store chambers of Pithom, built by Hebrew bondsmen, Egypt, 1905. Stereoscopic card. Detail. From a series called Egypt Through the Stereoscope, text by James H Breasted

The Temple of Luxor, Egypt, 1905. Artist: Underwood & Underwood
The Temple of Luxor, Egypt, 1905. Stereoscopic card. Detail. From a series called Egypt Through the Stereoscope, text by James H Breasted

The Pyramid of Sakkarah, Egypt, 1905. Artist: Underwood & Underwood
The Pyramid of Sakkarah, Egypt, 1905. Stereoscopic card. Detail. From a series called Egypt Through the Stereoscope, text by James H Breasted

Quarry chambers of Masara, Egypt, 1905. Artist: Underwood & Underwood
Quarry chambers of Masara, Egypt, 1905. The great pyramid of Giza was built using blocks of stone taken from this quarry. Stereoscopic card. Detail

The Great Sphinx of Giza, Egypt, 1905. Artist: Underwood & Underwood
The Great Sphinx of Giza, Egypt, 1905. Stereoscopic card. Detail. From a series called Egypt Through the Stereoscope, text by James H Breasted

Statue of Ramses II, an embellishment of his temple at Memphis, Egypt, 1905. Artist: Underwood & Underwood
Statue of Ramses II, an embellishment of his temple at Memphis, Egypt, 1905. Such statues as this fallen giant here were placed by the Kings of the Empire in front of their temples on either side of

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James Henry Breasted was a renowned archaeologist and historian who made significant contributions to the study of ancient Egypt. In 1905, he embarked on an expedition to Egypt, capturing breathtaking images of the country's rich cultural heritage. One of his remarkable photographs shows the island of Philae and its magnificent temples from a bird's-eye view. The intricate architecture and grandeur of these structures are evident in this captivating image. Breasted also captured Aswan and the island of Elephantine from the western cliffs, showcasing their stunning natural beauty against the backdrop of ancient ruins. His keen eye for detail allows us to appreciate the historical significance intertwined with Egypt's mesmerizing landscapes. The Temple of Edfu is another marvel that Breasted documented during his expedition. He immortalized its holy sanctuary and divine shrine, revealing its sacred aura through his lens. Additionally, he highlighted how remarkably preserved this temple is even after centuries have passed. At Medinet Habu in Thebes, Breasted uncovered a fascinating carving depicting hunters pursuing a wild bull on a temple wall. This artwork provides insight into ancient Egyptian hunting practices and showcases their artistic prowess. Breasted also explored Sethos I's temple in Thebes, capturing both its exterior magnificence as seen from afar and its interior gallery leading down to burial chambers below ground level. These images offer glimpses into royal tombs that were once hidden beneath layers of sand and time. In addition to documenting monumental sites like Der-el-Bahri in Thebes, Breasted delved into Queen Makeres' expedition to East Africa. He photographed intricately carved reliefs at Der-el-Bahri that depict scenes from her journey—an invaluable glimpse into history brought back to life through artistry. Lastly, Breasted took us across vast plains—from high cliffs at Der-el-Bahri overlooking Luxor—to showcase Egypt's diverse topography along with remnants of past civilizations scattered throughout these lands.