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Jozef Julian Sekowski's Journey to Egypt and Nubia, 1821

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Default Title
ISBN: 978-83-937941-3-3
Description: softcover with flaps, XXXVIII + 88 pp. (20x15cm), drawings, 23 ills, limited edition.
Condition: new.
Weight: 215g.


Jozef Julian Sekowski's Journey to Egypt and Nubia, 1821, edited by Joachim Sliwa, Archeobooks, Krakow 2020

In Polish with English summary.


Józef Julian Sękowski (1800-1858) was one of the greatest orientalist of his era, a traveller, researcher, translator and publisher of source texts, as well as academic lecturer and professor. He made a significant impact on Russian literary life of the first half of the 19th century. As a writer and publicist he was known to the public mainly under his pen name “Baron Brambeus”. As a researcher, Sękowski criticized the approach of western orientalists who were trying to understand the mysteries of the East from outside, and argued for the need of deeper involvement, paired with abandoning the Europocentric point of view.


The current, new edition has been enriched with the description of a trip to the pyramids of Giza and Saqqara undertaken by Sękowski in the early February 1821, prior to his departure further south. The account was only published in Russian; the version provided here is based on my translation. Since no written accounts have survived from Sękowski’s journey further up the Nile (before he reached Philae Island), I decided to include here also his brief review concerning one of the Colossi of Memnon. The text undoubtedly reflects also his personal impressions from the time spent in Thebes.

As far as possible, attempts have been made to enliven Sękowski’s report with appropriate illustrative material, reaching mainly for lesser-known drawings created during travels analogical to his pioneering expedition of 1821.