Ancient Lands

Evelyn Floret Photo Gallery

“New Year’s Eve 2000 Celebration”

Cairo, Egypt

The whirling dancer and pulsing, exotic music brought in the millennium with a powerful blast.

“Temple of God Khnum”

Esna, Egypt December 1999

At the Temple of God Khnum I waited for a robed figure to appear in the foreground. Unexpectedly, when I was ready to shoot, a bicyclist came by. The figures in the picture, along with the shadows and the warm and soft colors, added to the mysterious and serene tone of the temple.

Ancient Egyptian Door, photo by Evelyn Floret

Whirling Dervishes in Egypt, photo by Evelyn Floret

“The Whirling Dervishes at a
Twelfth-Century Caravanserai”

Cappadocia, Turkey September 2000

Under the arches of this Twelfth-Century caravanserai where ancient travelers stopped to eat and sleep and let their animals rest, the Whirling Dervishes perform sema, their ritual dance. They whirl in a state of ecstatic meditation accompanied by haunting music played on ancient instruments. Once the performance ends, they return to their monastery in Konya.

“A Cave with a View”

Zelve, Turkey September 2000

Caves and cliff dwellings abound amid giant rock formations. You can see a cliff dweller’s house in the distance from this cave at the open air museum in Zelve. Cliff dwelling began here in the Sixth Century and continued until the mid-Twentieth Century, when the homes were abandoned.

“Parthenon During Light Show”

Athens, Greece September 2000

I shot this photo from an outdoor restaurant with a view of the Parthenon. The fill flash lit the nearby tree branches, balancing the red glow of the Parthenon during the sound and light show.