. . . . .This is how the Island of Philae had
appeared since the construction of the first dam at Aswan in 1902.
For most of the year it was partially submerged under an artificial
lake. But the worst was yet to come. The construction of the Aswan
High Dam would place it at the bottom of Lake Nasser. A terrifying
prospect, the world was about to lose one of its most beautiful
islands.
. . . . .The Egyptian Government stepped in,
and with the help of UNESCO rescued the temples of Philae. A dike was
constructed around the island and the water was pumped out. The
temples were dismantled and moved to higher ground on the island of
Agikia. This island was flattened and reshaped, then the temples were
reconstructed. The dike can still be seen in the waters of Lake
Nasser, revealing the origional location of Philae.
