Exterieur van het Ramesseum in Thebe (Luxor) c. 1870 - 1898

This photograph captures the Ramesseum in Thebes, Luxor, and was taken by Maison Bonfils. It's important to recognize that while we see an image of ancient Egypt, it is mediated through the lens and perspective of 19th-century European photographers. The act of photographing and documenting ancient sites like this was often tied to colonial interests and power dynamics, where European nations sought to map, study, and sometimes control territories and histories outside of Europe. This photograph is a testament to the fascination with the ancient world, but we must also reflect on who gets to tell these stories and for what purposes. Think about what it means to view such a monumental site through the eyes of those who came to document rather than those who lived and built it. This photograph not only shows us a ruin, but invites us to consider whose history is being preserved and how.