Thread by @VeraCausa9

A thread on the French photographer Félix Bonfils (1831-1885) and his pioneering images of the Middle East and Egypt.

Two men are dwarfed by the Cyclopean walls of the Roman Temple of Jupiter in the ancient city of Heliopolis or Baalbek, Lebanon ca. 1867-1876

Félix Bonfils & his wife Lydie moved to Beirut in 1867 where he founded his photographic studio. They traveled throughout Lebanon, the Holy Land, Egypt, Turkey & Greece bringing photos which became a historical testimony for art historians, archaeologists & the general public [1]

The small figure of a man is seen here standing next to a colossal leaning column of the Temple of Bacchus, south side, Baalbek , Lebanon ca. 1867-76 photograph by Félix Bonfils.

I recommend you to zoom in on the first two photos to have a better perspective of the magnitude of the Roman architecture in Baalbek [1]

A wonderful detail of the colossal hanging keystone at the doorway of the Temple of Bacchus, Baalbek, Lebanon 1872 photograph by Félix Bonfils.

The Damascus Gate one of the entrances to the Old City of Jerusalem, in the Hebrew Bible was called Shechem. As seen today, the gate was built in 1537 by Suleiman the Magnificent. Beneath it, the remains of a Roman gate dating back to Hadrian, who visited the region 130–131 AD.

In the square behind the Damascus Gate stood a Roman victory column topped by a statue of Emperor Hadrian. This historical detail is preserved in the current gate's Arabic name, Bab el-Amud, meaning "gate of the column".

Damascus Gate, Jerusalem 1872 photo by Félix Bonfils [1]

So-called "Pompey's Pillar" highest monument [26.85 m] in ancient Alexandria erected AD 297 in honor of Roman Emperor Diocletian. This red granite triumphal column is the largest of its type constructed outside imperial capitals of Rome & Constantinople-1867 photo Félix Bonfils.

Legend has it the "Pompey's Pillar" misnomer was started by Crusaders, who thought the red Aswan granite pillar marked Pompey's burial site and that the Roman general's ashes were in a pot at the top of the column. [1]

The fruitless pursuit of conquering timelessness.

Egyptian guides help a Western tourist atempting to climb the Great Pyramid of Khufu-1867 photo Felix Bonfils.

An Egyptian boy and his donkey pose in front of the fallen colossal statue of the Pharaoh Ramses II in Memphis, Egypt- 1870's photo by Félix Bonfils.

Only the ageless head of the Great Sphinx of Giza looms over the Sahara sands while a pilgrim leans against its uncaring limestone like the eternal questioner hoping to hear one great truth...

1872 photo by Félix Bonfils.

A spectacular view of The Great Sphinx seen here partially excavated with the two pyramids of Giza towering in the background-photo taken around 1878 by Felix Bonfils.

This 1867 Felix Bonfils photograph of The Great Pyramid and two Egyptian men shedding their transient reflections on water reminds me of Hermes Trismegistus esoteric maxim: "As above, so below, as within, so without, as the universe, so the soul"