Nubian Valley

Nubian Valley, Nile River valley above Aswān, Egypt, now submerged in the waters behind the Aswan High Dam that form Lake Nasser.

Before it was flooded, the valley extended for 160 miles (250 km) between the town of Aswān and the Sudanese border—a narrow and picturesque gorge with a limited cultivable area. The valley was subject to intense archaeological exploration prior to flooding, and most of the pharaonic temples were removed and reconstructed on higher ground. Of these, Philae and Abu Simbel presented the greatest technical challenges. The projects were jointly funded by the Egyptian government and international aid channeled through UNESCO. The 100,000 or so inhabitants of the valley were resettled, mainly in the government-built villages of New Nubia, at Kawm Umbū (Kom Ombo), north of Aswān. Lake Nasser was developed during the 1970s for its fishing and as a tourist area, and settlements have grown up around it.