Aswan Dam Photographs, 1899-1933, bulk 1899-1912; 1930-1933

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Summary

Abstract:
The Aswan Dam Photographs collection contains more than 1750 black-and-white photographs in 28 albums that documented the construction of the first Aswan Dam (later known as the Aswan Low Dam or the Old Aswan Dam), a masonry buttress dam located on the Nile River in Aswan, Egypt, between 1899 and 1902, as well as the first dam heightening (1907 to 1912), the second heightening from (1930 to 1933), and work on the Asyut and Isna Barrages. Some of the volumes are presentation albums inscribed to civil engineers involved in the project.
Extent:
approximately 1750 photographs in 22 volumes and 7 boxes
Language:
English.

Background

Scope and content:

The Aswan Dam Photographs collection contains 28 albums containing more than 1750 black-and-white photographs (most approximately 8 x 10 in. format), documenting the construction of the first Aswan Dam and Asyut Barrage from 1899 to 1902, the first dam heightening from 1907 to 1912, the Isna Barrage from 1907 to 1909, and the second heightening from 1930 to 1933.

The images chiefly chronicle progress at the construction sites and depict laborers, masonry work, excavating, the transportation of materials and equipment, and the building of the locks, buttresses, gates, canals, and bridges, with many views of the Nile River. In addition there are images of repairs to the temple at Philae (in Albums 1, 3b, 4, and 12), and some photographs of ceremonies including the H.R.H. The Duke of Connaught laying the foundation stone on February 29, 1908 (Album 10, pages 8-9), and the laying of the final stone with Abbas II Hilmi, the Khedive of Egypt, on February 9, 1909 (Album 5, page 24).

The collection consists of both nondescript albums with affixed photographs accompanied by typed or handwritten captions, as well as more formal presentation albums, which include inscriptions of W. L. Lowe Brown, resident engineer at the Asyut Barrage (Album 1); John Aird, whose company constructed the dam (Albums 2, 6, and 8) Murdoch MacDonald, chief engineer beginning in 1902 (Album 3); While most of the albums are limited to photographs and captions, Album 1 and 2 have an eight-page printed preface by William E. Garstin and Albums 5 and 6 have two introductory pages of printed explanatory notes by Murdoch MacDonald.

Photographers engaged in documenting the construction and heightening projects were D.S. George (construction of the Aswan Dam and first heightening), F. Fiorillo (first heightening), A. Gianny (viewing of Aswan Dam), A. Marques (first heightening), and other unidentified photographers.

The photographs from six albums were removed from their bindings and are now housed as loose photographs in boxes (Albums 3a, 4, 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16). Some amount of photo duplication can be found between albums. Photograph titles in the contents list were transcribed, when available, from descriptive captions and titles provided by the photographer or printed in albums; titles in square brackets were devised by the cataloger. Within the materials, there are variant spellings of Aswan including Assuan and Asswan.

Biographical / historical:

The first Aswan Dam (later known as the Aswan Low Dam or the Old Aswan Dam) is a masonry buttress dam located on the Nile River in Aswan, Egypt. Construction on the dam began in 1899 and ended in 1902, and at the time of its completion, it was the world's largest masonry dam. The dam was constructed as part of a British-led effort, tasked largely to William E. Garstin, the British Under-Secretary of State for Public Works in Egypt, to control river levels, reduce flooding, and improve irrigation and agriculture in the Nile River region.

In 1898, the Egyptian Minister of Public Works, Hussein Fakhry Pasha, contracted the British engineering firm of John Aird & Co. to construct the Aswan Dam, with Ransomes & Rapier acting as sub-contractors for the project's ironwork. Maurice FitzMaurice served as the chief resident engineer for the project. The work was done primarily by Egyptian workers and Italian granite masons. The foundation stone was laid by Prince Arthur, the Duke of Connaught, on February 12, 1899, and he returned to open the dam officially on December 10, 1902.

Designed to create a reservoir to store annual floodwater for crop irrigation during dry seasons, the dam proved inadequate to meet the water needs of its surrounding communities. As a result, two dam heightening projects were under taken in 1907–1912 and in 1929–1933 to create additional reservoir space to hold water needed during times of low river levels.

In addition to the dam itself, the Asyut Barrage (also spelled Assuit or Assiout) was finished in 1902, and the Isna Barrage (or Esna) was completed in 1908.

In 1970, a new dam was completed south of the Aswan Dam known as the Sadd-el-Aali Dam (or Aswan High Dam).

Acquisition information:
Gift of Dibner Family, Burndy Library Collection, November 2006.
Arrangement:

The albums are arranged in the following four series:

  • Series I. Nile Reservoirs works at Aswan, 1899-1906
    • Album 1: Nile Reservoir works at Aswan and Asyut, [1899-1902] (31 photographs)
    • Album 2: Nile Reservoir works at Aswan and Asyut, [1899-1902] (31 photographs)
    • Album 3: Nile Reservoirs: views of Assuan, No. 1, 1899-1900 (206 photographs)
    • Album 4: Nile Reservoirs: views of Assuan, No. 2, [1899-1907] (98 photographs)
  • Series II. Isna Barrage, 1907-1909
    • Album 5: The Isna Barrage, [1907-1909] (19 photographs)
    • Album 6: The Isna Barrage, [1907-1908] (18 photographs)
    • Album 7: Isna Barrage, [1907-1908] (60 photographs)
  • Series III. First heightening, 1907-1912
    • Album 8: First heightening, [1907]-1912 (21 photographs)
    • Album 9: First heightening, [1907-1912] (20 photographs)
    • Album 10: Assuan [sic] Dam No. 1, 1907-1909 (First heightening) (61 photographs)
    • Album 11: Assuan [sic] Dam No. 2, 1909-1911 (First heightening) (60 photographs)
    • Album 12: First heightening, 1907-1909 (93 photographs)
    • Album 13: First heightening, 1909-1910 (98 photographs)
    • Album 14: First heightening, 1910 (100 photographs)
    • Album 15: First heightening, 1910-1911 (92 photographs)
    • Album 16: First heightening, 1911-1912 (72 photographs)
    • Album 17: First heightening, 1911-1912 (56 photographs)
  • Series IV. Second heightening, 1930-1933
    • Album 18: O.H.E.M.S. Aswan Dam second heightening, [1930-1933] (31 photographs)
    • Album 19: Second heightening, 1930 (81 photographs)
    • Album 20: Second heightening, 1930 (79 photographs)
    • Album 21: Aswan Dam. Second heightening, 1931 (60 photographs)
    • Album 22: Aswan Dam. Second heightening, 1931 (62 photographs)
    • Album 23: Aswan Dam. Second heightening, 1931-1932 (62 photographs)
    • Album 24: Aswan Dam. Second heightening, 1932 (60 photographs)
    • Album 25: Aswan Dam. Second heightening, 1932-1933 (62 photographs)
    • Album 26: Aswan Dam. Second heightening, 1933 (62 photographs)
    • Album 27: Aswan Dam. Second heightening, 1933 (63 photographs)
    • Album 28: Aswan Dam. Second heightening, 1933 (57 photographs)

Rules or conventions:
Finding aid prepared using Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

Open to qualified researchers by prior application through the Reader Services Department. For more information, contact Reader Services.

Location of this collection:
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, CA 91108, US
Contact:
(626) 405-2129
reference@huntington.org
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