Picturing Egypt a Century Ago

Architecture, Egypt, Food and Drink, Photography, Travel
Cairo around 1920

In 1921 one of the many geographical/travel books published was the The Human Interest Library: Visualized Knowledge (Chicago: Midland Press). In volume IV there is a brief account of Egypt, mainly on the archaeological wonders. But there are several photographs that are of interest. I include the captions from the text. Unfortunately neither the date nor the photographer are indicated, but let us assume that they represent life in Egypt in the first couple of decades of the last century. There is also a summary of information about Egypt at the time, as noted below.

“An Arab Cafe: These cafes are picturesque places where one sees the street life of Cairo at its best. Note the more humble style of the Turkish pipe smoked by this Arab without being set on the floor.”
“One of the oldest forms of irrigation machinery in the world. The captive Hebrews in Mosaic times probably heard the creak of the ungreased wheels and watched the water gush forth from the pottery buckets which are fastened to the endless grass ropes.”
“Sakkahs, or Water-Carriers: These men are sometimes negroes, as the seated man in the picture, as well as the boy who has taken water to drink from him. They are usually dervishes of the lowest grade, and are sometimes inclined to be fanatical. They are picturesque as well as a very necessary feature of Egyptian life.”