Festival of the Khaleej, Cairo.

Charles Louis Fleury Panckoucke, View close to the Canal of Cairo & of the Annual Festival celebrating the opening of the Dike Khaleej, " Vue de la prise d'eau du Canal du Kaire, et de la Fète qu'on Célèbre Annuellement a l'Ouverture de la Digue._Environs du Kaire " Paris Impremerie de C.L.F.Pancoucke 1820-1829
Copper engraved view of Festival of the Nile flood and the opening of Khaleej dike, Cairo from the first volume of the "Etat Modene "of the "Description de l'Egypte," 2nd Edition; 1822; black & white; verso blank. Blind stamp of the publisher Panckoucke to margin.
The view shows the festival celebrated at the opening of the Khaleej dike so that the flood waters of the Nile can enter the canal.
Since ancient times, the Nile has played a vital role in Egypt, to the point that it is the river that the Egyptians attributed the birth and existence of their country. As the waters of the Nile rose the Egyptians prepared to let them through for irrigation etc, thus a most important moment each year to be celebrated. the sultan would proceed to the Misr point to op[en the dike. Called the cavalcade of the opening of the Khaleej. it was was one of the most important festivals of the year. Good dark impression; some light foxing; glue and remains of tissue guard to upper margin.

"Description de l'Egypte, ou, Recueil des observations et des recherches qui ont été faites en Egypte pendant l'expédition de l'armée française."

When Napoleon Bonaparte invaded Egypt in 1798, he brought with him an entourage of more than 160 scholars and scientists. Known as the French Commission on the Sciences and Arts of Egypt, these experts undertook an extensive survey of the country's archeology, topography, and natural history. . For four years more than 150 artists, engineers, linguists, and scientists traveled throughout the country, examining almost every aspect of ancient and contemporary Egypt. They recorded and measured in meticulous detail Egypt's topography, flora and fauna, and its ancient and contemporary architecture. A soldier who was part of the expedition found the famous Rosetta Stone, which the French linguist and scholar Jean-François Champollion (1790-1832) later used to unlock many of the mysteries that long had surrounded the language of ancient Egypt.

The Egyptian expedition ended with a total military failure. The French left Egypt in 1801, with the honors of war, but defeated; yet military failure remains a significant event in the history of knowledge because it is the first time a military expedition was accompanied by a scientific expedition.
In 1802 Napoleon authorized the publication of the commission's findings in a monumental, multi-volume work that included plates, maps, scholarly essays, and a detailed index.
Publication of the original Imperial edition began in 1809 and continued to 1822, sold by subscription.
It proved so popular that a second edition was published under the post-Napoleonic Bourbon Restoration. The "Royal edition" published in Paris by C.L.F. Panckoucke from 1820-1830.

The Second edition consists of 11 or 12 volumes of plates in folio and 24 of text [bound as 26] 8vo.
Brunet:II, 617; Blackmer/Navari: 476 [1st edition] 420 by 590mm (16½ by 23¼ inches).   ref: 1971  €650