Egypt's Eastern Desert
Mons Claudianus and Mons Porphyrites
This trip changed my whole perspective on Rome and the Roman Empire
I am no stranger to the Eastern Desert. Running North to South between the Red Sea and the Nile, this amazing area has a wealth of both natural geological features and evidence of mans' association with it. I have been privileged to explore much of this stunning landscape in search of some of the earliest evidence of man in the form of rock art. But on this occasion the object of our exploration was to seek out the Roman quarries at Mons Claudianus and Mons Porphyrites.
Under the emperors Hadrian and Trajan, the pale granite at Claudianus was used to construct the Pantheon, the Temple of Divus Traianus, the Villa Hadriana in Tivoli, the Springs of Diocletian and Caracalla, and the Mausoleum of Diocletian in Split. It is only after the difficult and complex journey to the quarry and ruined town of Fons Trajanus, that the overwhelming scale of this operation takes shape.
Temple remains. Mons Claudianus
The several loading ramps and forts that are passed en route, start to build a clear picture of the epic journey a newly quarried column had to make, before finally reaching Rome. For this reason the columns were partly dressed to reduce as much of the weight as possible. 
Quarried stone seems abandoned only yesterdayA tough terrain to cross in a modern 4 wheel land cruiser, for a granite laden wooden cart, unimaginable. The other striking impression is the feeling that the workmen on hearing a signal to cease their labours, simply downed tools, and abandoned the site on the day before we arrived.
Piles of ready cut blocks, selected, sorted and marked are everywhere, and unfinished columns (some broken) lay like snapped twigs at the foot of loading ramps.
Huge abandoned columns. Mons Claudianus
One of the many highlights on this trip, was following a ramp up the mountain side and discovering two gigantic columns still in the quarry. You can see from the photographs above, that some unforseen incident obviously took place, and our small group took delight in debating the outcome. Perhaps one column rolled down onto the next smashing it beyond repair. Was anyone injured? I could almost hear the distant Roman expletives playing on the wind and echoing round the mountain. We were privileged to spend two days here, with a night's camping and moonlit exploration of the town, before moving onto our next location. 
View down Wadi Abu Ma'amel to Mons Porphyrites Mons Porphyrites Some 50KM north of Claudianus every aspect of Mons Porphyrites from the surrounding terrain to the location of the quarries, made working and operating out of Claudianus look simple.
This was the Roman Empire's unique source of red porphyry, also known as purple porphyry. Not only are the quarries themselves high up the mountain but also the journey through boulder laden Wadi el-Atrash and then Wadi Qena down to the Nile is a punishing 150KM.
South Well. Mons Porphyrites
From there the purple stone went on to Baalbek in Lebanon and Constantinople. The huge sarcophagus shown here, well over 2mtres in height, is one of several outside the Museum in Istanbul.
My passion for all things Egyptian had blinded me, until this trip, to the achievements of other civilisations. The thought that one man could command the power to obtain a building material of his choice from such places for so long, is truly inspirational. 
Raw material and finished product
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