Pigeonniers bâtis sur la colonnade méridionale du palais d'Aménophis III, à Louxor, Thèbes 1849 - 1850

This photograph by Maxime Du Camp captures pigeonniers built on the colonnade of Amenophis III's palace in Luxor. Taken in the mid-19th century, it presents a fascinating intersection of ancient grandeur and contemporary life in Egypt. Du Camp, on commission from the French government, documented Egypt with a then-new technology: photography. This image creates meaning by showing the layering of history. We see the remnants of a powerful ancient civilization repurposed for more humble, contemporary uses. Here, pigeonniers, or dovecotes, stand atop the ancient structure, blending the sacred and the everyday. Egypt at this time was undergoing modernization, with European powers vying for influence. The photograph can be seen as a document of cultural encounter, one in which the imposing monuments of the past are quietly altered by the necessities of the present. Understanding this photograph means researching both ancient Egyptian history and the social conditions of 19th-century Egypt. The photograph itself serves as a testament to the ever-changing relationship between past and present, and between different cultures in contact.