NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC HISTORY 21HIGH AND DRY
The illustration (left) shows both the
current and original locations of the Abu
Simbel temples. The original site rests
more than 200 feet below, completely
submerged by the waters of Lake Nasser.
To accommodate the temples at their
new sites, which were flat, engineers had
to figure out how to reproduce the original
environment as faithfully as possible.
To replicate the look of cliff faces, they
designed two artificial mounds made
of reinforced concrete, which were
then covered with a rocky surface to
resemble the spot where Ramses II built
his temples more than 3,000 years ago.
Looking out over the lake, they remain
ROBERT W. NICHOLSON/NGS icons of ancient Egypt.